Dream of Yesterday
by Somatrasiel
Summary: 100 Years after GT, Goku finds himself stuck in the past and working under the Frieza's merciless rule. Somehow, he must manage to make it back home amidst death, treachery and unexpected friendships.
1. Return to Earth, Travel to the Past

The vast emptiness of Space would be disconcerting to some. It was a place where each asteroid was millions of miles apart and even the closest looking star could take several lifetimes to reach. For some, it was majestic, representing the infinite grandeur, an ever expanding existence. For others it was a living embodiment of solitude and immeasurable isolation, spanning millions of miles and billions of years in every direction. But everyone had a home in space, whether it is a small asteroid floating in the gravitational pull of a moon or a planet rich with life. For Son Goku, it was the latter.

His home was Earth. It was not a large planet, not compared to many he had been to in his lifetime. But it was still home and it held a beauty that made other, larger worlds pale in comparison. It was an amalgam of colors, green and blue and yellow; the hues of the trees, the rivers and the sun reflecting off the surface of its many immense oceans and seas.

Son Goku took in the sight of his home, the place where all of his most important and fondest memories were made. The world he had died to defend, come back to life to protect and died again to preserve. He had departed almost a century ago, on the back of the mighty dragon, Shenron. Now, he had come again to see it.

Black eyes scanned the landscape, so unchanged despite his many years of absence. It was a testament to his insignificance, at how unimportant he was in the reality of things. But this didn't bother him. Instead, it filled Goku with vigor and contentment because despite how everything else could shake and crumble around him, Earth was still the same, wished back with Dragon Balls or not. He flew down towards that bright green grass, feeling the wind blow through the openings of the blue and yellow gi he had never changed. Even the air felt different, lighter and _good_. With a soft thump, he landed and let himself bask in the sun's rays. It had been too long and though he had trained and trained in so many different worlds, the need to see his home tugged at his soul until it was no longer bearable.

Nearly all his friends were dead, for he no longer felt their Ki. Before, even far away on different planets, he would feel their energy like warm blankets but now he felt their absence.

_Even Chichi…my sons…_ He thought and a sliver of sadness crossed his eyes. Part of them wished he had grown old with them, but he knew that wasn't what life had in store for him. It would be a waste to feel sad when he and his family had experienced an amazing life of adventure and thrills. But Chichi…he wished he had told her he had loved her. It wasn't enough, he knew, but it was the only way he knew how.

But there was a Ki he was familiar with. An image of a young girl with shoulder length black hair and an orange bandana flashed through his mind and his lips curled in a smile. Locking in on the signature, Goku placed two fingers on his forehead and in a flash he was gone.

His feet hit the ground, no longer covered in acres of green grass. Now it was the familiar feel of hard stone and Goku peered over the building he had appeared on. It was a building he was familiar with and the looming statue of his likeness told him that the building was familiar with him too! The old Martial Arts Tournament grounds hadn't changed. He stifled a laugh and jumped down, landing amidst several shocked passersby. He took a few moments to look over the entrance. The doors were new and so where the walls and floor. He grinned sheepishly, scratching his head as he fondly remembered the tournaments he had fought in and how often they had demolished the poor surroundings.

There was a tug on his pants and he looked down to see a young child, a girl, looking up at him like he was the sun. He crouched down, meeting her green eyes with his black ones and smiled widely,"Hi! What can I do for you?"

The girl blushed and looked down, "Um…can, can you sign this?" She produced a small notebook with a pink cat on the front as well as a small pen, perfect for her small hand.

"Um…what?" Goku was confused, staring at the offered pen and paper. Nonetheless, he took them but hesitated to write anything.

"Oh I'm sorry sir, she's not bothering you is she?" A voice came from behind him and he turned to see a young woman and a man, probably her husband, standing beside her with a balloon. "I have to admit, your likeness is quite good. No wonder Stephanie wants an autograph!" The man laughed, patting Stephanie's brown hair.

_Ehh?_ Goku let out a small wavering chuckle, still completely baffled, "Likeness? To whom?"

The parents looked confused for a moment, and the woman shot a glance at the statue, pointing a finely manicured finger at the stone, "Aren't you dressed as him right now? They've hired others before, but none of them looked so much like him. One could almost say you _are_ him!"

The man laughed, "Nonsense Angelica, Son Goku has been gone for a century. To be honest, the story around him is so mythical it's almost uncertain if he ever even existed!"

There was a small whimper beside Goku and he looked at Stephanie, whose eyes were starting to tear up as she looked pleadingly at her father.

"Um-not to say he _isn't_ real! But, more that…uh, his story is so magical it's hard to believe!" The man amended, holding up his hands in a gesture of panic, shooting a pleading look towards his wife, then to Goku.

Goku let out a small laugh, so _that's_ what this was all about! He looked at the girl again, and signed his name on the paper, writing "To Stephanie, from Son Goku," and handing it to her.

She grabbed the notebook and pen, holding it tightly to her breast. "Thank you Mr. Goku!" She smiled brightly at him, wrapping her small arms around his chest and squeezing. A few moments later she let go, grinning and practically bouncing to her parents who took her hand and waved a grateful goodbye at him.

He waved back, almost giggling at the idea that people would be _hired_ to dress as him and parade around, giving autographs. Part of him hoped not many people would recognize him but a glance down at his clothing told him that he was practically screaming who he was. Oh well, he would deal with that as it came. Planning ahead was never his strong suit anyways. Bulma had been around for that particular job, or Vegeta. The names brought a pang of nostalgia and Goku stood there for a moment, going over their faces as he remembered them.

Vegeta's fierce eyes and widow's peak and Bulma's bright, teal hair flitted through his mind and he sighed, looking towards the sky. But even though they were no longer there, their warmth from his memories still shrouded him in the comfortable feeling of contentment.

Suddenly, Pan's Ki fluctuated and Goku remembered why he was here. He followed that Ki signature right through the front wooden doors and past the administration desk. No one stopped him though he was thrown a curious glance or two but they didn't last. They probably assumed he was the newest hire for autographs and that thought made him giggle again. The ring (or square) was almost exactly as he remembered it, all white squares and golden haired announcer screaming frantically into the microphone. But…there was something off about it, though he couldn't say _why_ really. Then suddenly it clicked into place, _I've never been part of the __**audience**__ before!_ That brought a short burst of laughter from him as he realized that he was seeing the arena from a wholly new perspective. Soon though, his attention was directed onto the scene before him.

There were two young boys on the stage and Goku felt his breath lodge in his throat. If he weren't so sure of his existence right now, he would have doubted that what he was seeing was really true. The two boys were the exact image of him and Vegeta.

The small Vegeta was an almost perfect copy, from the widow's peak down to his posture. The attitude and demeanor were there too as he spouted insults and jibes at his opponent, who in turn looked and acted almost exactly like Goku. He was even wearing the clothing he left Pan, almost 100 years ago before he left. They exchanged heated punches and kicks, much like their great-grandfathers had done years ago.

_I wonder if they know that Vegeta and I had done that exact same thing for most of our lives,_ Goku mused idly. He was completely unsurprised when suddenly in a flash of light, their hair turned golden and their furious fight resumed.

_Wow I wonder if Vegeta ever saw his, what is it…his grandson or his great-grandson? I bet he would have been proud, I sure am!_ _They're already Super Saiyans at this age! That's amazing._ He smiled widely at them, though he knew they couldn't see him.

"Go Goku Jr! Beat him, yeah!" A familiar voice came amidst the cheers of the onlookers. His superior hearing could pinpoint the source almost instantly and he finally saw her. Pan was still the same Pan, if only aged. She had the same black hair and her Ki fluttered in the air, changing and warping the same way it did when she was a young child. She no longer wore that orange bandanna and instead, she had a yellow hat that complimented her purple glasses. Her fist was in the air as she cheered Goku Jr. on, the baggy lavender jacket that covered her form swaying with her movements. She was still as energetic as ever, age not wilting her in the slightest.

He was glad. It wasn't only the Earth that hadn't changed. Some things always stayed the same. But he couldn't stay. Even though it had been over ninety years, he knew Pan would see him and he couldn't have that. Earth was theirs now. Not his, and so he turned away, burning the image of her smiling face into his memory and walked out the same way he came in. In the distance he heard his name being called but he didn't turn, wanting only a memory of himself to remain with them.

Once he passed the gates, he took one last look at the grounds. He let the smell of the new plastered walls and the polished oak waft over his body, filling it with that sense of familiarity only battle brought him on distant worlds. He took to the air, his muscular body just as home in the air as on the earth. He left before Pan could catch up, a burst of energy carrying him towards the old training grounds.

By the time Pan made her way towards the entrance, he was nothing by a whisper on the wind.

* * *

><p>Goku hovered over his old training grounds, slightly unsure of whether he remembered the spot correctly.<p>

_I don't remember so many old buildings…or all that technology._ On closer inspection, he saw the words: Capsule Corporation engraved onto the largest one there. _Ah! Capsule Corp! But they seem to be out of date and I don't feel any energy. No one is here._ The architecture was in a horrible state of disrepair, many of them covered in greenery and moss that must have taken years to grow. Old machinery lay by the sides, parts scavenged or totally missing.

He flew down through the windows, surveying the damage. It had been a long time since anyone had been here. Probably thirty or forty years by his estimation.

_Oh wow! That looks just like the pod that took me to Namek!_ He flew closer to the circular pod and it was as he thought. It was an almost exact replica of the pod that he had taken to Namek. It even had the black strip running across the main body with the Capsule Corporation logo. It was also in a sorry state but as Goku brushed a hand across the door, he realized that there was more dust, debris and moss than actual damage. It was funny how even so far ahead in time; some of the technology was not that strange.

He dusted off the spot where the entrance controls should be and he wasn't disappointed. Even the buttons were a similar color to the ones he remembered. _Then this one should be…Yes! Open sesame!_ _Awesome_.

A soft wooshing sound came and steam poured from the gaps as the door slowly descended, stuttering in places where moss wouldn't let it open. Goku brushed it away, pulling away twining vines and shrubbery and finally the entrance was unblocked. He entered, pursing his lips at the sight. The inside, though cleaner, was still overrun by lichen and various kinds of plants. There was even a bright colored mushroom sitting right atop one of the control panels and despite the growling in his stomach, even _he_ knew not to eat that.

"That reminds me," He mused, tilting his head back, "I haven't eaten in _ages_! If I remember correctly, there was a muffin button here somewhere. Maybe it still works!" With that thought in mind, he searched the interior, brushing away bits and pieces of metal, pulling out fungus and mushrooms that were in the way.

_There!_ He thought, spotting the familiar panel below the screen. "Muffin here I come!" He wiggled his fingers, a wide smile lighting up his face and a familiar gleam sparking in his eyes. If any of his friends were here they would be laughing at his appetite.

_Times a-wasting!_ He thought and without further ado pressed the button, watching as the room suddenly lit up. Huh? That wasn't supposed to happen and now that he thought of it, "Where is the gap for the muffin?"

Crap, crap, crap! There were loud beeps coming from all the control panels and the screen lit up, bathing the room in a blue glow. There was a sound behind him and Goku turned to see the entrance closing.

"Oh no!" He cried out, rushing towards it but not getting there in time. His hands came up against metal and the small specks of light from the sides faded, sealing him in.

A robotic voice sounded behind him, "Activating Time Warp, 5, 4, 3, 2…1! Time-Warp Initiated, Planet Vegeta."

"Wait what?" He cried out, rushing to the control panel, "No, no, and no! No time warping, stop!" He slammed his fists into the buttons, somehow trying to will it to stop but it was too late. The faint energy of humans all around him was vanishing and an unknown force sent his body slamming his body into the metal floor. Everything around him vibrated and things clattered to the floor.

The sound of beeping intensified until it was as if the sound were coming from inside his head. The force was incredible, keeping Goku pinned the floor. His limbs felt like the heavy weights he used to wear when training with King Kai. It was increasing too, so fast that Goku thought he would fuse with the floor. "Hnnnnnnnnnnnnnngh!" He closed his eyes, grit his teeth against the pain and tensed his muscles, trying to resist the powerful force.

But then just as it began, it was suddenly gone. Everything was calm again. Cautiously Goku sat up. The incessant beeping had stopped and all was quiet save the flickering on the screen. Rubbing his head, Goku stood up shakily and limped to the control panel.

"Geez, and there's no muffin either." He pouted, patting his clothing down. He turned his attention to the screen and felt his jaw drop at the glowing words: "Planet Vegeta, Age 737."

"Oh crap."

This was _not_ good. This was not good at all.


	2. An Old World, a New Home

Planet Vegeta, Age 737…Goku read the words over and over again. Every time he blinked he was _convinced_ that he was hallucinating. The words flickered again, _Planet_ _Vegeta._

_I am having a bad dream right? Ok Goku, don't panic. Just type in the time where you came from and start it up again._ "Um…um...Age...778? I don't even know the coordinates! Well…just the time should be ok right? I'll find my way around." His fingers nervously pressed the buttons, watching them appear on the screen. Where was that muffin button again? There!

"Go! Muffin button! Send me back!" He cried out, and pressed the button. And…_nothing? What?_ He pressed it again but there was no beeping, no lights coming on and no robotic voice initiating startup. That was not good. He pressed it again and still nothing.

"Ahh! Why? Huh, wait Yes!" The beeping noise resumed and there was an electric cackle coming from the control panel below. Wait, electric fizzling noises? That wasn't good!

Goku dropped to his knees, frantically scrabbling at the metal plate and pulling it away. Black smoke poured out, clogging his nose and throat. With a cough, he cleared the smoke and groped blindly into the darkness. There was a sudden crackle and Goku yelped, falling back as the wires running under the panel exploded in a burst of sparks. The rest of the capsule wasn't faring any better and Goku stood up only to see the screen displaying nothing but static before falling dead. Suddenly, everything went dark and silent.

He pressed the buttons again, even the ones he didn't recognize. He needed a beep, a single light, _anything_. But to his dismay, the capsule remained silent. He rubbed his head, trying to think of something else. Well…he _could_ go outside but there was no telling what would be out there. _But there isn't another option and I can't fix this._ _But…maybe I can take something with me! There's got to be a communicator around here somewhere._

He scanned the room and looked for a handheld device that was typical of Bulma's design. If…Capsule Corp still _used_ her designs. Then he saw it, a small rectangular device. This had to be it; it even said _CC Communicator, _if he could trust his ability to read. He pulled it from the wall and turned the dial on the side, turning it all the way. The communicator's screen lit up but…

_Aw…there's only static! This is broken too. Darn it, how am I going to get back?_ He turned the dial again, pressing several of the buttons on the front, but the static never went away. Eventually, he just turned it off. Finally he just tucked it into his belt, patting it once to make sure it wouldn't fall. With that done, he pushed against the door, only using a minor portion of his strength to open it. It gave, falling to the floor with a metallic clang.

He took his first step and for the first time in his life, saw Planet Vegeta.

It wasn't what he expected, but it wasn't too far from what he'd imagined. The sky was dark, much darker than Earth's but he saw no sun. Nighttime then, since there was a partial moon in the sky. There were trees here and grass too, but they were dark as well, with a blue tinge instead of the bright green he was used to. There were rocks too and if Goku hadn't just traveled back in time, he would be _sure_ he was somewhere on Earth.

But there was nonhuman energy here. Goku narrowed his eyes, letting that energy roll around him, weighing and understanding it. Definitely not human. They were higher, first of all, and second…darker. For some reason, the energy he felt had a sinister, bloodthirsty undertone and it reminded him of how Vegeta's energy felt like when they had first met. It was an angry haze and it made him shiver but he had no direction to go. He glanced back at the capsule. It was broken and there wasn't anything he could do so his options were limited.

He jumped into the air and sped off towards the closest signatures he felt. He suppressed his power too, pushing it down into his stomach so it wouldn't register on any Scouters. Or…at least it wouldn't register as anything threatening. As he flew, Goku took a moment to examine his surroundings. It was still dark but there were no stars and only a partial moon lit up the scenery around him. There were trees spanning miles and miles and large mountains in every direction. They were taller than Earth Mountains and infinitely more imposing. He almost felt trapped in this vast expanse. He increased his speed slightly, if only to pass the darkness by.

Is this what Trunks had felt like? Coming to the past?

_Geez the pressure._ He thought sheepishly. He remembered what Bulma had said about it that one time when he had asked,

"_Time travel is very dangerous Goku. Sure it seems like a good idea to go and fix mistakes, but everything you do in the past alters the future in some way. If you're not careful, the future you come back to might not be the same one you left."_

He had nodded, the explanation simply skimming off the top of his spiked head. He hadn't ever thought he would actually _do_ any traveling of his own but here he was. And he had to be careful. Everything in his future was dependant on things going in the right track here.

Goku stopped in midair, eyes widening, _That means…This place has…has to be destroyed by Frieza! No! I can't…but…_ It was true. He _couldn't_ just decide to kill Frieza now. That meant that his and Vegeta's friendship and rivalry might never come to pass. Or…anything _else_ in his world. That would also possibly mean that Vegeta wouldn't be there to help when things like Majin Buu or Omega Shenron came around.

_I don't want to be caught facing them alone…not back then anyways. Damnit. Hopefully I can get this communicator working somehow and figure out a way back before any of that happens while I'm here._

He resumed his flight and the weight of being in the past was suddenly much, much heavier.

In the distance he saw lights and the energy signature he had sensed were much closer. There was quite a population there but no one Ki stood out or seemed threatening. That was good. With the immense pressure of the fate of the future hanging on him, he was suddenly not interested in meeting anyone much less _fighting_ with them.

He landed softly in a spot where no one could see him. _Now what?_ He peered into the distance trying to decide his next move. He looked down at his blue and yellow gi, realizing he stood out like a sore thumb. But how to get Saiyan clothing without attracting attention?

_Well…it __**is**__ dark. Hopefully there isn't anyone out. Do they even have Saiyan stores? Guess I don't have a choice do I?_ Goku sighed, tiptoeing out of hiding place. He had to find a store or something and fast, before there was any daylight.

He walked as softly as he could, avoiding lit windows and crouching behind structures whenever he heard someone's voice. There were no street lamps but Goku could see almost perfectly. Probably something about superior Saiyan sight. Usually, he would never stoop to stealing but this was a special case. But despite being able to see, he couldn't spot anything that resembled a store. Where did the Saiyan's get their armor then?

"You there! Stop!" A voice startled him and he stood straight up, back stiff as a board. Slowly, Goku turned towards the voice, a wavering grin appearing on his face. He raised his hands palms up, "Hey…um, I'm not…ah"

"Who are you? State your name, class and rank!" A large, bulky Saiyan stood there, reminding Goku of a Nappa with hair, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. _No need to give it away,_ he thought.

"Um…I-"He floundered, _Crap, what should I say? Goku? No…um…Gohan? Piccolo? Kakarot? I __**definitely**__can't say that. _"I…don't…know?" He offered feebly with a nervous smile.

The large Saiyan took several steps to stand before him and almost towered over Goku. He looked down his nose at him, narrowing his eyes in distaste. "You…don't know?" The large man rolled his eyes and his eyes drifted to Goku's waist.

Suddenly Goku was hanging in the air, the Saiyan's large fist holding him up by the shirt, "You have no tail! You don't wear Saiyan clothing! You are not a Saiyan! A spy then?"

Goku flailed in his hold, raising his hands higher and wracking his brains for an answer, "No, no, I'm no spy! I really don't remember!"

"A likely story. I'm taking you with me." He placed Goku down but still held tight to his shirt. He pulled Goku to him, jerking roughly, "You're walking. Now."

Goku nodded, still smiling and laughing nervously. He did as the man asked and walked beside him as best he could with the man's fist jerking him along. "So…" he ventured, unable to withstand the silence, "Where are you taking me?"

The man didn't answer but suddenly Goku almost stumbled as he was pulled harder than before. _Ok, no talking then. I'll just follow quietly. Maybe I'll have a chance to escape…But no, I need to fix this communicator. I'm just going to have to comply._

They walked in silence, with Goku being dragged along every few minutes or so. The other Saiyan was a tall man and walking with him, Goku could take a moment to study him. Black hair, typical of Saiyans and broad, broad shoulders. He was at least several heads taller than Goku and he had his furry tail wrapped around his waist.

Wait! His tail! He didn't have one. No _wonder_ they didn't think he was a Saiyan! No_ real _Saiyan would ever remove his tail; it was the pride of their race! This could actually work in his favor. He could convince them that he wasn't a Saiyan and…they'd..._Then what?_ The plan stopped there as Goku couldn't really think of anything past trying to convince people here that he wasn't a Saiyan. It should be too hard, considering that he was mostly a peaceful person. That and he had no tail or class or rank.

_Am I even born yet?_ _Or am I already on Earth?_

"We're here." The bulky Saiyan said and pushed Goku towards the steps. The building was a circular one with several small windows. It seemed slightly crude to Goku, who was used to the grand buildings of Earth and his home. His captor pushed the door open with one hand, the other still holding on to Goku's gi. When he stepped in, he all but hauled Goku through the door and the smaller Saiyan fell to his knees.

Glancing upwards he saw two Saiyans staring down at him. It was a Spartan room, with only a table and several chairs. There were two windows but there were no curtains or decorations. One stepped closer to him, crouching to examine Goku. He brought one white gloved hand to Goku's chin, forcing his head up. "What's this Satro?"

"Found him outside Nerse. Says he can't remember where he's from. He's a spy, I think." The man who was called Satro said, coming to stand beside Nerse.

"A spy? Well," Nerse started, walking around the Goku's kneeling form, "he can't be a Saiyan. No tail. And what the hell is he wearing? Is that woman's clothing?" The two Saiyans behind him snickered and Goku fought down a protest. Agitating the population was not a good idea.

"Looks like an imposter to me Nerse. Satro's prolly right, he _is_ a spy!" A woman came forward and Goku fought not to gawk at the sight. This was the first Saiyan woman he had ever seen! She didn't look too different from human women either, minus the tail and power level. She flicked her shoulder length hair back, narrowing her eyes, "But he's a pretty bad spy, getting caught on the job."

"I'm not a spy!" Goku finally said, but didn't rise up from his position, "I really don't know how I got here! I just woke up and…" He gestured with one hand, "here I was."

The woman grabbed his shirt, pulling him up. She was short but she hauled him up easily, bringing his face close to hers. Her eyes were narrowed and furious, reminding Goku very much of Chichi. Suddenly, he was irrationally scared of this woman. She spat at him, shaking him with every word she said, "I know what you're trying to pull! But you ain't no Bardock! You ain't even got the scars, not to mention you're missing your tail."

Goku tensed, hoping it didn't show on his face. Bardock? Damn, that was his father! Goku didn't know he was so famous! From what he remembered, Bardock had incited the Saiyan population to rise against Frieza's tyranny, but were no match for them. But...better to be seen as an impostor rather than be found out as his son. He smiled, hoping to calm the woman, "I don't even know who Bardock _is! _Really!" He laughed, and tried to appear as defenseless as possible.

"Don't lie to me! I should break-" She started, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned her face to see Nerse shaking his head.

"Calm down Rena. He might die if you break him and what use is a dead spy?" Said Nerse, pulling her hand away and letting Goku get up on his feet. Nerse crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, his muscular arms well defined in the black Saiyan armor he was wearing. He shifted a bit so he wasn't pulling on his ponytail and raised an eyebrow, "I don't know if I'm crazy, but I believe you."

"What?" Came the cry from Satro and Rena and they turned to stare incredulously at the short man.

Nerse simply shrugged, closing his black eyes and grinning. When he opened them, he took a long look at Goku, "Look at him. No tail, wrong clothes, no scars. Yeah, he _looks_ like Bardock, but he doesn't even _talk_ like him! If he were a spy would he really be that incompetent? Also…who would _send_ a spy anyways?"

"Maybe Frieza…" Satro started, but Nerse interrupted him as well, "We serve Frieza loyally Satro. There is no reason he would send a spy after us. And…" He pointed a thumb at the window, "Would he really send a spy _here_ of all places?"

"True…This _is_ just an outpost." Rena said, stroking her chin and turned her attention back to Goku, who had been standing there silent all along. "So you're _not_ a spy. How did you get here then? What's your name?"

Goku sighed, exasperated, "I _told_ you, I don't know! I don't remember anything."

"Not even your name?" Nerse asked, tilting his head.

Goku shook his head, looking down at the floor, "I don't. Nothing." _Good, it's working so far!_ He thought with triumph and tried to make sure none of it showed on his face. He glanced up to see Rena's face still staring skeptically at him while Nerse and Satro had carefully schooled blank faces.

_So these are Saiyan's huh? I've never known any other than me, Vegeta, Nappa and Radditz. And I didn't even know the other two past them trying to kill me. Vegeta's an ex-prince so I don't know if he's a good model either._

"Um…so…what's going to happen to me?" He ventured slowly and dusted his gi off, avoiding touching the area where he hid his communicator. That would _not _help his, I'm-not-a-spy-case.

Satro pushed Rena aside, coming to stand before him again. He bent at the waist so his face was level with Goku's, "We send you to Frieza. He would be interested as to why you're here." He turned his head to Nerse, who was still staring at him nonchalantly, "Maybe we should torture him first, and maybe it'll jog his memory."

_Eep!_ Panic settled in his stomach and his eyes widened. He took a step back, laughing again, "I'm really bad with pain guys."

Nerse laughed and stepped forward, waving Satro back, "I don't think Lord Frieza has time for small bugs like this guy."

The hulking Satro leaned up, a lip twitching upwards in a sneer, "Then what?"

Goku's mind was working fast; _I need to get on Frieza's ship. If I remember correctly, he's got top of the line equipment and scientists and they'll be able to fix this communicator somehow. Also, I can't be here when the planet blows up…_ His shoulders sagged at the thought. He…had to let Frieza… He fought not to look away, to give himself up. Instead he forced a smile on his face, rubbing his messy hair, "So…who is this Frieza character?"

Now, it his turn to be faced with incredulous stares. Even Nerse, who had carefully kept his expression neutral, was staring with his jaw unhinged.

Rena took a step forward, raising trembling hands in question. Her eyes were wide and tiny mouth open in shock, "You…you can't be serious?" She waited a few seconds for an answer, when there was none the corner of her mouth twitched and she turned to Satro, "He's serious." She turned back to Goku, "You're really serious! Wow, have you been living under a rock this whole time?"

"It's just as I said, I don't remember anything!" Goku reiterated, "So…"

"Frieza," Rena began, folding her arms, "Is the 'Lord' of the Universe and the Ruler of the Planetary Trade Organization."

"The what organization?" Goku was confused, Frieza had an organization? Like a CEO?

Rena slapped her face into her palm, groaning. She gestured a hand to Nerse and turned away, groaning, "This is ridiculous, Nerse, you explain. Or better yet, let's just kill him and be done with it."

"The Planetary Trade Organization. But that's just a nice name for an auction house. Frieza takes over planets and sells them to high bidders and we," he spat, looking down at his boots in fury, "get to be his little thugs."

"He forces races into the Organization by blackmailing them with their Planet's destruction. " Satro interjected and folded his arms, sighing deeply, "And as you can guess, we happen to be one of those races."

"So…you're like slaves?" Goku questioned, tilting his head. _Wow, this is worse than I thought. I knew Frieza was a monster but…I didn't know just __**how**__ much of monster._

There was a crack, and Goku staggered back clutching his cheek. Rena stood before him, fists clenched and trembling. Her eyes were narrowed in fury and her arms shook with rage, "You piece of shit! You dare! We're Saiyans!"

"Calm down Rena!" Nerse shouted and she did, stepping away again. "He's right you know. Call us soldiers or even thugs, it's just a lie. We're slaves to Frieza. We were a proud race-"

"We still are!" Rena cried out, grabbing Nerse by the armor her was wearing but he looked away. "We…are!" She said again, but to Goku it looked like she was trying to convince herself more than she was stating a fact.

"No we aren't," Satro said, pulling Rena away, "The spy-wannabe is right, we _are_ slaves. And we _were_ a proud race. Now we're like Frieza's circus pets, jumping when he commands. But enough about that. We need to deal with the Bardock look alike here."

The all turned to Goku, and he stepped back, _Oh god I hope they don't want to kill me! I'll have to fight back! _

"So you don't remember your name huh?" Nerse said, coming to pat Goku on the shoulder and grinned, eyes twinkling. "That's where we need to start then. Any ideas guys?"

Rena scoffed, pulling up a chair and taking a seat, "I say we call him 'Bastard.' How's that?"

"Aw! Come on! I don't want to be called Bastard!" Goku whined, "Something a bit…less…insulting maybe?" _Oh please no more names like that; I don't want to be embarrassed every time someone calls for me! I hope they don't name me something stupid in Saiyan…like Cauliflower._

"Yeah? Well why don't _you_ come up with your own name. I'm just going to stick with Bastard." She said, grinning at his discomfort.

_Well, I'd rather have her laughing at me than using my face as a punching bag. I don't like hitting women…_ He sighed, trying to think of a suitable name for himself.

Nerse and Satro were thinking too, and before long they had gone through several names, all which were rejected by Rena of all people. Women were perfectionists everywhere, he guessed.

"Saghren?" Satro offered to Goku who had seated himself on the floor, then turned to Rena.

"Ugh no! Stop thinking of names that sound like yours! Be a bit more creative. Does he _look_ like a Saghren to you?" A finger was pointed at Goku.

"No…you're right he doesn't." He scratched his head with both hands in frustration, "Ahhh! I'm running out of ideas! I'm a fighter not a name generator!" Satro huffed and sat himself down beside Goku and flicked one of his unruly spikes, "Spiky?"

Rena and Nerse ignored him while Goku gave Satro a disbelieving look.

"I've got it!" Nerse snapped his fingers triumphantly. He looked at Goku and smiled, "Oroitz!" At everyone's confused look, he explained, "Oroitz means memory in Zhush. Hopefully, it'll help you get your memory back. Think of it like a good luck charm."

"I didn't know you were so sentimental. Didn't that planet get purged a while ago?" Rena commented but otherwise nodded her head. "I like it though. Doesn't sound too bad." She threw a look at Satro and the large Saiyan nodded, also approving. "What about you?" She pointed at Goku, "What do you think?"

_It's not bad. Creative. Actually, it's pretty good. That'll work._ Goku smiled at her but shrunk away when she glared. He turned to Nerse, who seemed to be the one who hated him the least so far. "I like it! Oroitz huh?" He stood up, clapping his hands together, "My name is Oroitz! Nice to meet you!"

Satro rolled his eyes, standing up and giving Nerse a hand. "So Oroitz, what are you going to do?"

_First,_ Goku thought, staring at his hands, _I have to do something about my appearance. If I'm going to somehow end up on Frieza's ship, they can't see 'Goku.' If I appear later in the future to take Frieza down, I can't have him already know what I look like. So…to do that I'll probably have to do something about my clothes. _Goku sighed and rand a hand through his hair, "I think I need to do something about my clothing. Where do you guys get your armor?"

Rena got up and looked him up and down with a disapproving eye. She pulled at his gi, easily ripping the top part of it clean off, much to Goku's displeasure.

"Hey! I like that shirt!" He protested, grabbing at the shreds. _Aw…I wanted to at least keep it…_

"Too bad." Rena said and grabbed him by the wrist, forcefully pulling him along to the doorway. _Oh god it's like Chichi again!_ He threw a panicked look at the two Saiyans behind him, but they shook their head, apparently too scared to cross Rena.

_Huh. Women. Everyone's scared of em._ He was tugged into a semi-furnished room, with only a bed, table and a cabinet.

Rena let him go and stalked to the cabinet, flinging the wooden doors open. He tried to peek over her shoulder to see what she was looking at but there was a dark growl and he stepped away, hands up in surrender.

He leaned against the wall beside the bed, waiting for her to finish choosing something out. "Do you have something ora-"

"Shut up. You don't choose. I do and _no,_ we don't have anything orange." She threw him a look he withered under, "And what kind of taste do you have anyways? Blue, yellow and now you're asking for orange? What are you, some kind of flower?"

Goku cringed and looked at the remains of his gi. He didn't think he was _that _bad at choosing clothing but it did remind him of the time when he was traveling to Namek and had overstocked his entire closet with the same orange gi! He didn't need to mention that to Rena, for fear of being knocked over the head.

Finally after a few minutes, Rena seemed to be satisfied. She pulled out a tight, black leotard like one-piece and tossed it onto the bed. Next there were some white boots and gloves, similar to the ones Rena was wearing and lined with gold at the tips. Those went on the bed too. She rummaged a little deeper and pulled out a chest plate that reminded Goku of how Vegeta looked when he first arrived on Earth. Then she turned to him and pointed to the clothing, "That's what you're wearing. No arguments."

"No shoulder pads?" he asked, picking up the armor to examine it. It was nice and flexible, black with gold on the straps that would go around his shoulders. Nerse and Satro had shoulder pads, but Rena didn't. _Don't tell me she's dressing me like a woman! But…they already thought I was wearing woman's clothing earlier so it can't be that bad._

Rena sighed and walked up to him, grinning as he cringed slightly, memory of her fist still in his head. Why were women so temperamental? She raised her hands and Goku almost whimpered and backed away, but there was nothing but the wall behind him, "Your shoulders are already broad. If we put pads on 'em you're going to look like Satro. That is to say, a hulking beast."

"Hey! I heard that!" Satro yelled out from the other room, "Now are you going to finish picking something out or are you bedding him?"

"Hey!" Goku yelled, feeling a blush rising in his cheeks.

Rena rolled her eyes, "Great, I'm here with a bunch of two year old babies. Oroitz, get dressed. We'll wait for you in the other room."

Goku nodded and felt himself relax as she watched her small figure walk out. Whew, women sure were a force to deal with! Even _Vegeta,_ Mr. Prince-of-everything-around-me, was afraid of Bulma when she was angry. But _these_ women had a bit of a power level to back it up too.

He dressed quickly, shedding his ruined pants and boots. He took one last wistful glance but Rena's face hung in his vision and urged him to don the clothing as quickly as possible. He pulled the leotard on _somehow_ but if he were prompted to again, he probably wouldn't remember how he did it. It was ankle-length and he was sorely glad it didn't stop at the thighs. He looked bad in shorts. Next was the chest plate, which was easier. He pulled it over his head, marveling at the flexibility. It looked small, but it stretched over his shoulders and midsection in a perfect fit. Enough to move and fight and be protective too. No wonder Vegeta was always so fond of it. Gloves and boots were the last to go on and finally, he stood fully clothed. Hopefully he put the armor on the right way, as there was no mirror to check. He patted his thighs down to fix the fit and sighed, hopefully they wouldn't laugh at him.

He stared at the communicator under the tatters of his old clothing. Thankfully, it was small enough to hide under his armor and he tucked it into his boot, making sure there wasn't a too visible bulge.

He checked himself again as best he could and when he was satisfied, walked out the door. To his surprise, there was no laughter. _This could be good…or bad._ He waited for a few seconds but the only thing he saw was their blank gazes. "Um…guys? Did I put it on wrong or something?"

"Not at all." Nerse said, nodding his head. "It just hit me, how much you look like Bardock. Someone could say you were almost his son or something."

"Yeah, but that can't be. He's just as old as Bardock, maybe just a bit younger. If he_ were_ Bardock's son that would mean Bardock had to have had a kid when he was ten or something!" Satro looked him over, walking around Goku with an interested look on his face. Finally, he straightened up and clapped Goku on the back, almost sending him sprawling. "I'd almost say you look like a Saiyan!"

Goku relaxed slightly. Every time Bardock's name came up he felt panic. He didn't really know what his father had looked like and the only other family reference he had was Radditz. _But they say __**I**__ look like Bardock. So…it's gotta be the face or the hair. I can't change my face...but I can do something about the hair. _ To be honest though, the last thing Goku wanted to do was cut his hair off.

"It is the hair?" He ventured and they nodded, reaffirming his beliefs. The hair had to go. He pointed at his black spikes, "Any way to make me look _less_ like this Bardock guy? I don't want to be beaten up every time someone see's me."

The three Saiyans exchanged looked and Nerse stepped forward, pulling him down by his armor. "Should we cut it?" He asked his two companions, oblivious to Goku's panicked face. He ignored Goku's protests in favor of waiting for a response from Satro or Rena.

Eventually, Satro shook his head, "I don't know where he's from, but I don't know if his hair will even grow back eventually. Why don't you give him a hair band and let him tie it like yours?"

"Nerse's hair is straight you moron. Oroitz has massive spikes on his head. You can impale yourself on 'em if you ain't careful." Rena gestured to her head, holding her hands apart, exaggerating the length. "I guess he _can_ try to wrestle 'em into submission."

Goku let out a giant breath of relief and let his shoulders sag. He _really_ didn't want to cut his hair off. Vegeta said Saiyan hair would never grow back if cut and he really wanted to avoid that. "I don't know if I'd look good with short hair!"

"Can we stop talking about this like prissy Ithian women? We're _warriors_ not courtesans." Nerse finally said, letting Goku's armor go. "Here, you can have one of my spare hair bands. Be glad we found you first, we're nice for Saiyans. Anyone else would have killed you." He grabbed a stretchy band from a compartment in his armor and handed it to Goku, who took it gratefully.

"I know, I know!" Goku said, smiling defenselessly. "You guys are awesome. Thank you for not killing me." Now to somehow get his hair to fit in that tiny band. How did people do it? He turned over the white band and tried tying his hair. Halfway though, he heard a snicker and he looked up to see Rena and Nerse laughing.

"Oh god, you're bad at this. What are you? A newborn?" Rena grabbed the band form his head and pulled it roughly, making Goku yelp in pain.

He grabbed his head, rubbing the spot where he was several hairs shorter. "Ow, Rena! That hurts!"

"Quit being a baby and sit down." He was shoved into a chair and Rena was behind him, wrestling his hair into the band. She swatted the side of his head every time he whimpered in pain, telling him to stop being such a wimp. "Bardock? Hah, you can barely withstand your hair being pulled! No one would mistake you as an imposter."

Finally, a million years of pain later, Goku's hair was finally in a ponytail. But the cost was a sore scalp as he was sure that every single hair had also almost been pulled out. He thanked Rena, trying to will away the tears in his eyes. No need to get slapped again.

"Is there a mirror around here?" He asked, and Nerse pointed to another room behind him, muttering something about Ithian women again. Goku ignored it with a smile and walked past the short Saiyan to the room he pointed at.

It was a bathroom. Shower in one corner and strange circular designed toiled. There was a sink and there! The mirror. It was a small mirror and stopped mid-chest but it was still ample space to examine his hair.

_It doesn't look half bad, believe it or not!_ Goku thought, turning his head as much as he could and still see. Two of the large spikes still stuck out and there was a bit of hair at the back that didn't reach the hair band but the biggest two spikes at the back and front were skillfully pulled into it. The spikes stuck upwards though, instead of downwards like a normal pony-tail. Still, it actually looked pretty good but it was going to take some getting used to.

Goku pulled a little on his front spikes and winced as he realized they pulled on the pony-tail. What was he going to do when Rena wasn't around to force his hair in the pony-tail? He'd have to convince her to teach him then.

_So now I'm Oroitz, the Saiyan with amnesia. I've got to be really sure not to blow my cover. The entire fate of the Universe is at stake on my subtlety! _Goku looked up at the ceiling, cringing. The Universe was screwed.

He left the bathroom and found the three Saiyans waiting for him, "Can you fight Oroitz?" Satro asked.

Goku nodded after a moment,_ Damn, I can't forget I'm Oroitz now._ "Yeah, I can." He said and made fists, smiling happily. His eyes brightened and he was almost jumping up and down until his stomach interrupted. "Oh…uh sorry. I haven't eaten in a while I think…" He rubbed a hand over his stomach, laughing awkwardly. He wasn't too surprised when the others joined in.

Rena placed a hand on his shoulder, one of the rare occasions when her touch didn't end in pain and smiled at him, "Come on, we'll treat you but only for tonight."

Goku nodded and followed her to the door where the other two were already walking outside. It was still dark, but the sun was quickly rising, setting a soft pink glow over everything. Suddenly, Vegeta didn't seem so oppressive anymore and he tried very hard to put the planet's destruction out of his mind, knowing that none of the three Saiyans he'd made friends with would survive.

"Say," Nerse started, slowing down his pace to Rena's and Goku's, "If you said you can fight…there's actually a power level check tomorrow at the next outpost. If you pass, you can serve on Frieza's ship!"

_Yes. A good chance!_ Hope filled his stomach and he glanced at the three, maybe they would make it too. "Are you guys going to try out?"

"Hell yeah!" Rena said, determination sparking in her eyes, "I don't want to be stuck here in this stupid outpost for the rest of my life! I'm strong and there are battles to be won!" Nerse and Satro agreed with her, voicing similar sentiments.

"But," Satro said, appearing behind them, "We can't do good on an empty stomach!"

Goku's stomach agreed and they all shared a laugh.

_Saiyans aren't as bad as I thought,_ Goku smiled to himself; _tomorrow…tomorrow I'll get onto Frieza's ship. Bet on it._


	3. Enemies are Friends, Friends are Enemies

Morning had fully come, and the dark Vegeta he had seen turned almost Earth like despite the red sky. The three Saiyans had graciously allowed Goku to stay with them for breakfast, enjoying his almost child-like naivety and obliviousness. Rena had even obliged "Oroitz," showing him how she managed to pull his unruly hair into that decent looking ponytail.

With their stomachs full and spirits high, they prepared to fly over to the next outpost.

"So does Frieza do this often?" Goku asked them as they prepared back at their house. Rena was pulling on new gloves while Satro and Nerse were fixing on their own armor.

"He does it once every few months to find strong soldiers for his ship and missions. You're lucky you came when you did Oroitz, because the last time he did this was…When was it Nerse?" Rena asked the short pony-tailed Saiyan.

"Almost half a year ago Rena. He _is_ lucky. Almost is if Oroitz got here _just_ in time. Don't know if he'll make it though." He clapped a hand on Goku's back, "Wish we had Scouters. But only Lord Frieza's men get them."

_Oh, that's why there aren't any so far. None of the other Saiyans I saw had any either. If I get on Frieza's ship, it means I'm going to get one as well. Man, those things look so bulky!_

"Oi, stop daydreaming Oroitz! So far you've just _said_ you could fight, but can you? Can you even fly because we are not carrying you there." Satro's voice came from outside and he pointed to the sky. In the distance, Goku and the others could vaguely see other Saiyans flying towards where the test was.

Goku walked outside and shot his Ki towards his feet, raising himself into the air. He giggled, waving at the three Saiyans below him. They rolled their eyes, coming to fly beside him.

"Good job bonehead." Rena said to Goku, patting him patronizingly on the head. "Now let's go before we're late. Frieza's men aren't known for being patient." She gave them one last glance before rocketing into the red sky.

The three men nodded and took off after her.

_Whoa! This place is huge!_ Was Goku's first thought at the sight of the next outpost. The one where he had met Rena and the others were considerably smaller and housed quite a smaller population as well. Or it could be sheer amount of Saiyans coming to get their power levels recorded in hopes of getting a job as on Frieza's ship.

But if he were completely honest with himself, the thought of serving under Frieza made everything in his body want to turn in on itself. Memories of Namek flooded his mind, memories of Krillin's death…of all those Namekian bodies lying face down in the dirt. Frieza's face flashed before him, smooth and white and utterly heartless. Those eyes that stared at him, empty and merciless.

Disgust rolled up Goku's limbs and he tensed. His body started powering up and he took a large breath, controlling himself. _Oh no! I forgot! They're not supposed to-_ He threw a panicked glance at the three in front of him but they didn't seem to have noticed him momentary lack of control. Thank goodness.

He walked behind them, looking over the crowds of Saiyans that had gathered. He had never seen so many of his kind before, all with black hair and tough demeanors. They really did look like the proud race Vegeta had so often described while berating him. The one thing that was different though, at least physically, was the tail. Goku had never felt so embarrassed about not having one. He was a proud Saiyan too, though not in the conventional sense.

The energy that simmered below the surface was also different from his. He was used to Energy like those of his friends, happy and playful, bouncing and warping to their moods save for Vegeta's and Piccolo's. But this energy wavered almost uncontrollably under the grinning faces of his kind and nothing like his friend's. Where Gohan's and the rest of his companion's energy signatures were light, the Saiyan's were dark and angry. Almost vicious.

_No kidding Vegeta, they are battle hungry. Geez, is this how I would have turned out if I had stayed here?_ Even Nerse, Satro and Rena's energy had started to bubble beneath their skin. So this is how they truly were. Scary. He overpowered them all but he had nothing on their veraciousness.

"Get your ass moving, Oroitz." Nerse's voice was deeper, with none of the playful tolerance Goku had gotten used to. Nerse and Rena didn't say anything, simply walking to the entrance of one of the circular buildings that were apparently a Saiyan architectural staple.

Goku followed them and tried to ignore the waves of unease that were rolling over him. They approached a door labeled "Fourteen" and the sense of foreboding increased. Goku steeled himself and his shoulders drew back as he straightened himself. He wasn't feeling lighthearted anymore. This was the real deal and everything hung on him being able to keep his cover.

A few moments passed and several Saiyans passed them and snickered at Goku's back. He ignored them, knowing that they were laughing at his tail, or lack thereof.

"Where's your tail scum?" Goku stumbled forwards when a metal-tipped boot hit the back of his calf. He caught himself and righted his balance. Goku narrowed his eyes and spread his legs, crouching into a fighting stance.

He shot a glance at his companions, but they stood back. Their friendly demeanor was totally gone and they watched him like a pack of wolves. None of them stepped forward to lend him and hand but Goku wasn't too surprised. Saiyans were supposed to fend for themselves. Friendship here was a temporary alliance but the only thing that mattered was strength.

"Apologize." He said, patience gone and filled with the calm he experienced before he entered battle.

The offending Saiyan was about his height, with short black hair and beady eyes. He wasn't muscular but Goku spotted his tail waving behind him. _So he's strong huh? Otherwise he'd never leave his weak spot out like that._ _Sorry, but you've been outclassed. _

"Apologize?" The Saiyan almost keeled over from laughter, bracing himself on his knees in an effort to control his cackling. "You've got to be kidding me! You're no Saiyan! Not only do you not have a tail, but you want me to _apologize!_ Oh god what a hoot." He turned to the Saiyans that were gathering to watch the spectacle and he pointed at Goku with his thumb, "Check it out everyone, he wants me to _apologize!"_ His jeers were rewarded with snickering from the audience but it didn't shake Goku's resolve.

He was so much stronger than everyone here, whose power levels were barely even tingling his senses. That thought calmed him, soothed his ire. He was already on edge as it were and he needed to control himself better for the tragedies that were bound to happen. He stood up, dropping his stance and breathed. This man was not worth it. He turned his back to the chortling Saiyan, "I don't have time for you. Either apologize or leave."

There was silence behind him, followed shortly by an angry outburst, "What? How dare you! Don't you know who I am! I am the elite son of First Class Saiyans! Now face me you tailless freak!"

"Enough!" Goku cried out, "I don't have time for this!" He turned and flickered in place. A second later, he was gone only to appear a few inches from his opponent's face. He took a moment to examine the terror on the arrogant man's face. His eyes were wide and his jaw hung in disbelief at Goku's speed.

_It's not even a fraction of his normal speed either. I can't forget where I am or let loose my full power._ He followed that thought with a fist to the man's stomach, making sure not to break the armor the man wore. He stepped back, watching as the proud Saiyan fell to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain. A few moments later, his face met the floor and he was unconscious.

The audience was silent and he felt their approval in their smiles and emotionless eyes. The man they had only mere moments ago been backing up was unconscious but there was _nothing_ akin to mercy or regret in their gazes. Even his newfound acquaintances. Suddenly, any sympathy or comradeship he had felt with them evaporated under their merciless stares and blood-starved grins.

He took a deep breath and for a moment, he considered helping the man up but the feeling of disgust glued him to his spot. It took several seconds for it to pass and finally, the air seemed to be easier to breathe. He turned away and walked back to the group. The three were grinning but Goku ignored them, simply crossing his arms and waiting.

The door opened by itself and there stood a purple alien. He was short and chubby, wearing armor typical of Frieza's technicians. He had yellow eyes and white hair cut in a military style. With a finger on his scouter, he glanced at Goku, "You there, tailless. What's your name?"

"Oroitz, sir." Goku answered the man, uncrossing his arms.

The alien seemed moderately impressed, "A Saiyan with manners? Strange. Where is your tail?"

"I'm not a Saiyan sir. I don't remember where I came from."

A single white eyebrow went up, "Interesting story. Follow me. You're in." He turned and walked into the building.

With a quick glance to his companions, Goku was unsurprised to see them glaring at him. He could feel it even without looking at them. Competition was fierce and though they had fed him and seemingly befriended him, they considered him a toy. Something to amuse their time with until they got onto Frieza's ship.

_I can't forget that I'm the only Saiyan who was raised on Earth. Everyone else here has had an" eat or be eaten" type of life. I can't let it affect me. They're not at fault!_ But it was hard to hold onto the thought under their scrutinizing stares. But he did as the purple man bade, following him into the darkness beyond the door.

As he walked in, it shut behind him and somehow, he knew it would be the last time he ever saw those Saiyans. And somehow, he also knew they wouldn't make it on Frieza's ship.

"That's quite a power level you have there. Almost 15,000. So it _is_ true, you aren't a Saiyan. No Saiyan I've ever met has been this strong and I've been doing this for several years." The man kept walking, not even throwing a glance at Goku. He led Goku into a sparse white hallway with red metal floors.

_It's a lot bigger in here than it looks._ "Where are we going?" He asked the man and wasn't surprised when he was a shot an exasperated look.

"You really _don't_ know anything." He sighed, rubbing his white hair, "Figures I'd be the one being teacher to a poor sod like you. Listen carefully," He turned, and Goku almost bumped into him. "I'm taking you to the station five levels below us," he pointed to the floor, "And from there, you get your scouter and get shot to Frieza's ship." He resumed walked though he continued gesturing with one hand, "When you're on Frieza's ship, you'll get assigned to a squadron and you'll be given missions. If you're lucky and survive, you might even get promoted."

Goku nodded the entire time though the man couldn't see. _Oh I forgot to ask his name._ "Um, excuse me sir? What's your name?"

He was shot another strange look, "You're polite. Definitely not Saiyan. Reluk. Doesn't matter anyways since you're probably never going to see me again." They finally reached an elevator and soon, they were moving down.

Reluk was quiet, fiddling away at his scouter and ignoring the looks that Goku was shooting him. No matter because a few moments passed and the elevator halted to a stop. He was led into another room with several lockers and…pods? Was he going to be launched from here? How?

There was a clanging noise and Reluk opened one of the lockers, removing a small case and a plastic card. He handed them to Goku, "Your scouter is in the case and this," he said, gesturing to the card, "Is the key that will let you into the Soldier's barracks and other rooms until your identification card is finished. Now put on your scouter."

Opening the case, Goku picked up the scouter, noting its color. _Orange!_ At least _one_ thing got to be his favorite color. He laughed when he noticed the scientist giving him a strange look, but the man shrugged it off. He probably saw stranger things than Goku could believe.

"Put it on and press the button to turn it on." He instructed and Goku did as he was bid, pressing the device against his ear and fumbling for a moment as it slipped a bit. Reluk waited patiently, simply sighing every time Goku's hand slipped. Finally, Goku managed to get it on properly and gave thumbs up to the Reluk who replied only with a sigh.

He pressed the red button on the side took a step back in surprise as it lit up. Suddenly, his right eye was bombarded with numbers and little blips. He had no idea what any of them meant

"State your name," He said again.

"Oroitz." Goku said, pressing the button again and there was a small beeping, followed by a small 'ding.'

"It's registered your name, voice and base power level into the mainframe. Face me and pressed the button again," Reluk said monotonously.

There was a beep and suddenly, there were numbers on the lower left and there was a target around the chubby scientist. "Lower left is power level, face your target and press the button to get a reading. Press the button three times for the menu; I'll leave you to figure out the rest." He pointed a fat finger at the pod closest to him, "This pod will take you to Frieza's ship, it should take about two hours."

With that, Reluk turned his back onto Goku and headed towards the door, still fiddling with his own scouter. But just before his figure disappeared into the hallway, he turned his head to face Goku. "Good luck kid." The door shut behind him and Goku was left alone in the room.

He took a look at the pod, "So…how do I get into this thing?" He moved closer and noticed a small slot right beside the door. Goku glanced down at his keycard, "Maybe this'll work." He inserted it into the slot, grinning when there was a whirring noise and the card was sucked into the pod.

"Yipe!" He jumped back when the door suddenly opened, smoke pouring out the sides. _Geez, I hope this pod isn't malfunctioning. Would hate to blow up in space._ Nonetheless, he climbed in and the door closed behind him. He had to fight a bit, to find a suitable position and eventually ended up with his legs crossed. His pony-tail didn't fit either and the strands bent forward to brush his forehead. Briefly, he considered taking it off but the risk was too high.

The pod's interior belied the exterior, a series of screens, radios and a_ billion_ buttons littered the place. If he thought the _scouter_ was complicated, then this was rocket science.

There was a whirring sound and Goku jumped from his seat, hitting his head painfully against the top. The screens in the pod lit up and there was a robotic voice, not at all pleasing either. "Destination, Lord Frieza's Ship. ETA Two hours and forty five minutes. Have a pleasant trip."

Goku settled himself into his seat, crossing his arms. The entire pod began to vibrate and there was the feeling of being launched into the air but it was brief. A moment later, there was stillness and from the small circular window he saw planet Vegeta becoming smaller and smaller, eventually fading into the distance. Only seconds later, it was only a small red dot in his vision.

Two hours and forty five minutes huh? It wasn't too long but his stomach was already grumbling. Hopefully new recruits got a tour, cafeteria first. But food didn't stay in his mind for long. Already, he was thinking of what he was going to _do_ when he got on Frieza's ship. Goku had no illusions about Planet Vegeta's fate; it _had _to blow up if he wanted the future he returned to be the same one he left. But still, the thought of letting Frieza destroy so many people didn't sit well with him. Emotions warred in his chest and rage bubbled in Goku's stomach at the thought of seeing an entire civilization of people annihilated.

Was the future worth it? Was the existence of his family, his rivalry with Vegeta, his friends…were they worth the death, no, the _deaths_ of entire species? He didn't know. He didn't want to think about it. But Majin Buu's face hung in front of him and Omega Shenron's taunts sounded in his head. Even if Goku _did _kill Frieza now, it wouldn't guarantee that Cell or the other enemies he fought wouldn't exist and they were all vastly more powerful than Frieza.

Another thought suddenly crossed his head, if he went and changed the past, he wouldn't be himself anymore! What if by destroying Frieza, Goku never triggered his super Saiyan transformation? A myriad of other possibilities also crossed his mind, all which ended with a weaker version of him; A 'Goku' unable to deal with all the other threats that would come after Frieza.

Even if Frieza _were_ dead now, it would make no difference in Buu came about to destroy the universe. The thought of a rampaging Kid Buu without any opposition made Goku shiver.

No, he had to remove his doubt now. He needed to be _absolutely_ sure of himself if he was going to make this work. Goku leaned back and adjusted his head so his pony-tail wouldn't squish against the pod's ceiling. How much time had passed?

He looked around for some sort of timer but was too afraid to press any of the buttons in case something wrong happened. On a whim, he asked aloud; "What is the estimated time of arrival to the Frieza's ship?"

Thankfully, his whim proved useful and the same robotic voice sounded almost as if it were in his head, "Estimated Time of Arrival is thirty minutes."

Thirty minutes left. That wasn't long at all. He was going to be working with the Ginyu Force, Frieza, Vegeta, Nappa and Radditz…Who knew that one day he would end up on _their_ side. He was reminded of his battle with Frieza, when he was asked to replace Captain Ginyu. If he thought about it, he _did_ end up taking the offer!

"Hah! If only you knew Frieza. If only you knew."

"Please refer to our lord as Lord Frieza at all times. Thank you." The voice suddenly blared and Goku nearly yelped in surprise. Geez, what the hell was that? He knew Frieza's ego was the size of several galaxies but _sheesh!_ _He has a warning installed in his pods? Wow. That's just something else completely._

Suddenly, there was something outside the window. He could barely see it, but it didn't look like a star or planet. It was a yellow speck in the distance and Goku leaned forward to see well. _Is it his ship? It is! Wow, time passes fast._ It had been so long, but he still remembered what it looked like, almost down to the protruding oval windows. It was getting bigger and bigger by the minute and it would only be a few minutes until he reached it.

He leaned back again, closing his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. It would take most of his willpower not to smash Frieza's face if or when Goku saw him. The thought made him giggle as his imagination supplied an image of Frieza's wide eyes and slack jaw when Goku powered up to Super Saiyan.

"Arriving in twenty seconds, please prepare for landing. We hope you have had a nice trip." Goku jumped in place. Damn that voice, it rung inside his head like a bad thought. Almost as bad as an alarm clock.

Ten seconds left. Wow, the ship was _massive_, sure it _looked_ like the one on Namek but now that he saw it up close, it couldn't be. It was far, far too large and looked like it housed several levels. The one on Namek had only one. This was probably the mothership.

Five seconds until dock. The pod flew under the ship and he saw the giant metal doors of what was the docking bay begin to open.

Zero.

Finally there was a grating noise and the pod shook, landing on the metal floors of the docking bay with a metallic clunk that made the scouter on Goku's head vibrate. With a soft whoosh, the door to his pod fell open and he stepped out, clearing the smoke away with his hands.

When he could at least see the pod again, he held his hand to the slot and waited for the card to emerge. When it did, he tucked it beneath his armor and making sure it wouldn't suddenly fall out or get misplaced. When the smoke finally cleared, he was able to see where he was.

The docking bay was actually quite smaller than he had imagined. Or maybe this was only one of several. It made more sense because when he looked up he saw the gate: 1-C. There were several pods and a variety of different aliens running about. Most of them didn't notice him at all, throwing him a sideways glance and returning to their work. Some of them almost tripped over him, so busy were they doing whatever they were doing.

"Oroitz?" A skinny humanoid alien tapped his shoulder.

"Huh me? Yeah." He answered with a small smile.

"Good. You're right on time." The alien was a lean man and if Goku weren't positive he was eons away from Earth, he would have mistaken the man for a human. Blonde hair and green eyes, rounded ears and a peachy skin color all made him look very much like an Earthling. But Goku knew better. If Frieza had gotten to Earth, it would be either rubble or, according to the new information he had gotten on Vegeta, sold to the highest bidder.

"Follow me; we've got word of your arrival an hour ago." He started walking towards the gate, motioning for Goku to follow. "A power level of 15,000. I'm very impressed. Been a while since we've seen that kind of power level from a recruit."

_Good. I made sure that his power level was a bit higher than Vegeta's when he came to Earth. _He had lowered it after, best to make himself look as weak and uninteresting as possible. And hopefully completely forgettable. _But…I did overdo his power level juuust a little._ He grinned to himself, placing his hand on the back of his head. Oh well, he'd be more careful in the future.

They walked through a hallway and Goku had to sidestep scores of scurrying aliens so focused on whatever they were doing they didn't even see him. They were so many different species here. Every color and shape he could imagine. Some were larger than him, almost towering and others were barely up to his waist. He and the man escorting him had to lean against the wall at one point as an impossibly large, muscular alien squeezed through the hallway. His golden eyes locked onto Goku's for a minute and Goku grinned nervously, waving. The large alien ignored him, simply moving on his way.

There was a momentary silence but the sound of footsteps resumed as people began to mile about him again. "So where are we going?" He asked the blonde man, jogging a bit to catch up with him.

"We're heading towards the Barracks, one level higher than this. The ship has four levels, the lowest are the docks –where we just were-, and one level higher is the soldier's barracks and training areas. Also, you can find the Medical Bay there but you need permission to get in unless you're wounded. The level above the barracks is the higher up's quarters and the topmost level is Lord Frieza's quarters. Don't worry about the top two because you'll probably never go there anyways." He looked over his shoulder, "You have a keycard right?"

Producing the small card from under his armor, Goku nodded and showed it to him.

"Good. You'll need that to get from level 4 to level 3. It won't be any good for a while, not until your I.D comes in anyways. But don't worry, it should be done by tomorrow." How did the man walk so normally with so many people almost bumping into him at every second? Goku had to move constantly through the stream of Aliens rushing down the place. It was like swimming against a river.

"Didn't the scouter register me in the mainframe though?" He pointed a finger at the device on his head. He actually didn't really know how it was staying on.

"Yes, but Scouters don't register your face, just your voice. Not a bright one are you? No matter. You weren't recruited for brains anyways." Finally they reached what looked like a regular metal door. It had a slot to the side, just like the pod and the man produced his card and slipped it into the slot. The door opened and he stepped inside and Goku followed suit. "Level 3." He said once and the door closed, a mechanical noise accompanying a small vibration as they began to move.

The exited into a slightly less populated hallway. The denizens here were considerably stronger though and their Ki was decidedly angrier. The only soldiers Goku had ever had contact with were the Ginyu force and back then, they were _still_ weaker than he had been. Now, he had to strain his senses to even feel their Ki around him. _It's so hard to believe I'm back in time. And that I'm the strongest warrior in the Universe. Frieza wouldn't even make me sweat right now._ _I could probably kill him before he realized what was even happening. _He noticed several aliens staring at him, their fingers poised over the button on their Scouters. A few even snickered at the numbers, trying to imagine how such a low leveled alien was allowed on the ship.

_They put a lot of faith in those devices. Sorry to disappoint guys, but I'm really suppressing his power level. Actually, it's pretty hard keeping it this low._ He avoided their eyes, crossing his arms and straightening his back. Better to try camouflaging himself as one of them. Tough guy act it was.

"Here we are." Goku walked past the door with his escort. It wasn't a large room and it had only a table in the middle with several computer screens lining the walls. But they weren't alone; there were five other men in the room with them. They were all as tall as Goku was but only two looked humanoid while the other three had vague humanoid features but were unmistakably aliens.

"I'll leave you to them. Good Luck." The blonde man said without a second glance and walked right back out, leaving Goku alone with the aliens.

One of them came forward. He had a stocky build and his skin was a bright orange color and mottled with scales. His eyes were bright blue and he had horns protruding from the back of his head. His mouth wasn't really a mouth at all; it was more an elongated snout, similar to that of a lizard. He eyed Goku, who didn't shrink away; instead he stepped forward and adopted the overconfident look he had seen Vegeta wear so often. Hopefully, he was getting it right. He raised his power level subtly; approximately as high as when he'd beaten the Saiyan down on Planet Vegeta.

"This is the new guy?" The scaled creature asked, eyeing Goku, unimpressed. His voice was gravely, as if it was difficult to speak the language and Goku could see the tip of a forked tongue between pointed teeth.

"His name is-" He began, then thought for a moment, what was it again?

_Oroitz, don't forget. _

"Oroitz." He said after a small pause. The alien seemed even less impressed now.

_Great. Almost forgot again. _He fought not to sigh. Getting all wrong and it hadn't even been a day he was on the ship.

"The name's Paar and welcome to the squad." With a grin, he pointed at his companions, "These are our squad-mates."

One of the humanoids raised his hand in a two fingered wave. He reminded Goku of Jeice from the Ginyu Force. His skin was a similar shade of red but his short hair was a gradient, going from orange at the top to a bright yellow towards the tips. "I'm Reizo. Nice to meet ya'!" His golden eyes twinkled in mirth and he had a bright grin on his face.

Even without knowing, Goku's face mirrored his, dropping whatever look he'd been trying to wear moments earlier. A similar smile formed naturally and he returned the wave, noting Paar's scoff beside him.

"Don't be all sentimental already Reizo. You get attached way too quickly." Said the pale alien beside Reizo. He glared at Goku, red eyes sparking with arrogance. "I'm Solzt. Don't get too friendly. I doubt you'll be alive long enough anyway." Solzt flicked long white hair over one armored shoulder, crossing his arms and looking away.

_Boy,_ Goku thought looking him over, _another Vegeta._ _Nice earrings though._ He eyed the dangling blue orbs hanging off pointed ears. He thought they looked sort of girly, but he didn't say it out loud.

"Don't mind him," A large, clawed blue hand grabbed Goku's shoulder. This one was bulky and had a long blue tail swinging behind him. He smiled widely, displaying two rows of sharp teeth and Goku was a little disconcerted at the two holes he assumed were a nose. His pale eyes were sunken in and he looked a lot like a skull, albeit with two large black horns coming from the side of his head. "He's always like that but you get used to it."

It was a bit of a battle, fighting down the urge of step away but Goku managed to suppress it and offered his hand to the skull-alien. "Hi, what's your name?"

The alien took it, gripping tightly, "I am called Letifer. You can call me Leti." Goku grinned nervously, feeling sweat drip down his neck. _Oh man this guy is scary looking!_

Letifer turned his head towards the last squad member, "And that one is-"

"Do not patronize me! I am perfectly able to introduce himself to the newcomer." The lanky peach colored alien pushed Letifer aside, coming forward to bow slightly, startling Goku. He straightened up, coming to stand almost a full head taller than Goku. He brought a three fingered hand to his snout-like mouth, coughing, "Greeting Oroitz, you may refer to me as Lantern for my name is unpronounceable in your language. My original name means Bringer of Li-"

"Shut up Lantern." Reizo's gloved hand grabbed Lantern by his short tail, pulling him away from Goku, who had been sitting there with a bewildered smile and wide eyes. "Ya' run your mouth every time ya' meet someone. Seriously, it's gonna get ya' killed one day."

Lantern muttered something under his breath, but otherwise shut up.

"Anyways," Reizo grinned, "Welcome to our squad. We've been waiting for a replacement for a while now."

"Replacement?" Goku questioned, tilting his head.

"Yep, Avo died on a routine mission the other month." Reizo clarified with a shake of his head but Goku could hear a hint of sadness underneath the neutral façade. Reizo had obviously been friends with this Avo.

There was a 'tch' sound and all eyes turned to Solzt who was leaning against the computer panels with a broad grin and narrow eyes. He uncrossed his arms and placed them on his hips, "He was a weak bastard. Got killed by a _gun._ I'd say he deserved to die."

Ire swelled in Goku's stomach. No one deserved to die. "Don't say that," He said to Solzt. "He was your friend too right?"

"Pfft. Friend? Who the hell do you think you are?" Solzt's mouth twitched upwards in a sneer and he shot an annoyed look at Reizo, "Hey tomato, you've got a softhearted little _bitch_ here. Maybe you can be butt buddies with him now that Avo's gone eh?"

"Shut up you little cunt." Reizo spat back, eyes narrowing in anger before calming down. Sighing, he rolled his eyes a moment later and turned back to Goku. "Don't mind him. He's just pissed about the fact that no one would miss him if he died."

Solzt didn't respond to the insult, apparently happy with Reizo's outburst. The rest were surprisingly quiet, either suppressing their anger or used to Solzt's arrogance.

Goku didn't much like Solzt already, his nonchalant attitude towards people and their lives irked him. As if he weren't already having a hard time forgetting he was on Frieza's ship and that most of Frieza's soldiers busied themselves with snuffing the life out of planets. He shot a glare to the red-eyed alien. It also didn't help that he sorely reminded Goku of the tyrant. Those cold eyes certainly mirrored Frieza's from Goku's memory.

_Oh god what have I gotten myself into?_ Even the vague idea of what was coming made shivers slide down Goku's back but he didn't let them show, instead laughing and rubbing the back of his head in a display of blasé indifference, "As I said, I'm Oroitz! It's nice to meet you all."

Lantern opened his mouth but was cut off by Paar, who quickly spoke over him, "How about we show you the place eh?" Lantern shot the orange lizard an annoyed look but Paar ignored him and walked towards the door. The rest of the company let out a collective sigh of relief, even further annoying Lantern. Nonetheless, he followed Goku and the rest out the door.

"Where are we going?" Every step reminded Goku of how hungry and just as he was about to ask he heard something about a medicine. A single drop of sweat slithered down his spine. There was a glint in his vision, and the long slender body of a needle appeared. He laughed, voice wavering, "Um…did you say the…Medical bay?"

"Yeah. Its standard procedure to get a skin, hair and blood sample before you can actually serve on the ship. Who knows what people pick up in space?" Reizo said, and the others nodded in agreement.

Goku stopped in his tracks, "B-blood sample? With…with _needles?_"

They gave him a look, and then glanced among themselves. Goku took another step back, he already knew the answer. He raised his hands and backed away, "I'm good guys. Yeah, um… Can I resign?" Unfortunately, his back collided against something and he turned to see Paar giving him a_ look._

The lizard looked at his companions, then back at Goku. "Grab him."

"Yiii! No! Please! Let go I'm bad with needles pleeeaaasseee!" Goku's cries went unheeded and each one of his limbs was in the strong grip of one of his new comrades. He fought valiantly, pulling and pushing as much as he could without raising his power level but there was no winning.

"Solzt! Grab a hold of him!" Reizo cried out over Goku's arm, nearly catching an elbow to his nose.

"Fuck no. What do I look like, his mommy?" The pointy eared alien laughed at them, amusement glittering in his red eyes as he beheld the struggling Goku in the arms of his comrades.

"That's an order Solzt!" Paar cried out, a large muscular arm coming to wrap around Goku's neck. Solzt sighed, cussing under his breath and coming forth to place his hands on Goku's other arm, putting pressure.

"Please no! No needles please!" Goku fought a bit harder, but nonetheless he was dragged down the hallway into a room that looked quite a lot like the medical room Vegeta had taken him to way back on Namek.

The bored alien that had been reading over reports almost fell over as a group of multi-colored aliens dragged in a screaming, half crazed recruit. "What is this? You know you need permission to enter the Medical Bay!" He ran over to the group, waving his thin arms at the largest one in an attempt to stop them.

"Recruit….sir!" Lantern grunted, and he helped pin Goku against one of the clean tables there. "Quick my good doctor! Take a blood sample before he breaks the hold! It is _imperative-"_

"_Shut up Lantern!"_ Everyone cried out and Letifer glared at the doctor with his sunken, pale eyes, "Do it now!"

"Aiyeeee! No!" Goku cried out and the vision from his earlier nightmare appeared before him. The entire room was blurry and everything swam but the needle, the _needle_ was crisp and clear. It was long; it had to be about several _feet_ long and good god how big was that tube? _Crap that thing's gonna go in me! _

"Hold out his arm!" The doctor cried out, "I can't aim like this!"

_Oh gods, "_No aiming no aiming!" He tried to force his arms closed, but Reizo and Solzt placed enough strength to uncurl his right arm, presenting a clear path to the vein throbbing on the inside of his elbow. The needle was getting closer and the long, thin tube became a blurry line in his vision as tears started swimming in his eyes. Shutting his eyes, Goku bit his lip in an effort not to scream and embarrass himself further. There was a small prick and Goku failed the battle and just as he was about to unhinge his jaw and let out a blood-curdling wail, the doctor sighed, wiping his sweating head.

"It's over."

Letifer and the others let go with a collective sigh of relief. Solzt was already shaking his head with disbelief, throwing Paar a look that said: _this guy is part of our squad now?_ Paar simply rolled his eyes, bringing his hands up in a confused gesture that the others mirrored with their eyes.

Goku was panting against the table, chest heaving under the flexible armor. He backed away from the doctor, almost falling off the table in his attempt to get away. "It's…it's over? Really? No more needles?"

The little alien shook his head, having already quickly put away the offending object before it threw the new guy into another fit. He shot a confused look at the group, and they just shrugged back, as bewildered as he.

"Jeez, Oro." Letifer rubbed the back of his head, flexing his arms in an attempt to sooth the muscles. "Gotta say though, it took all of us to hold you down. Who knew you were such a baby?"

Goku laughed through the tears in his eyes, _oh boy._ "Sorry. I'm just really, _really_ bad with needles. I'm sort of afraid of them."

"Sort of?" Solzt and Reizo yelled nearly in unison. The red skinned alien crouched, bracing himself on his knees and Solzt starting laughing, running a hand through his white hair, "You're a downright pussy Oroitz. It's going to be fun watching you die in battle."

Goku tried to shoot him a glare, but his arms and legs shook and he was having a hard time concentrating. He looked at the doctor and met the man's bright blue eyes with his own black ones. Sitting up, he grinned at the shaking man, "Sorry about that."

The doctor sighed and moved to one of the cabinets lining the walls, "We still need a hair and skin sample-no needles!" He shot a panicked glare at Goku who laughed at him, trying to calm both himself and the shaken man. "Are you ok with scissors and a swab?"

Goku nodded and let the man cut a lock of hair from his hair and opened his mouth to let the cotton swab take a skin sample from the inside of his cheek. Sighing in relief once the examination was over, he turned to the group who were looking at him with varying degrees of amusement to exasperation.

"You aren't like this in battle right?" Paar asked, coming forward to stare at Goku.

"No, just needles." A full body shiver wracked Goku at the mere mention of the word again and Paar saw the doctor's eyes widen.

"So, Oroitz…" A gloved hand came to grab Goku's wrist, nearly pulling him out of the medical bay. The doctor threw him a grateful smile and waved. "Are you hungry? After that ordeal you must be!" He shot a look at his companions, who followed him out the door.

"Oh gosh yeah!" Goku said and his stomach rumbled in agreement, the needle incident washing away at the thought of food. "Is there any food around here?"

There was a laugh and Reizo moved to his other side, "Cafeteria it is! Gotta warn ya' though, it isn't gourmet food but from what I hear, there isn't anything better on Vegeta anyways."

"Speaking of the Red Planet, you have just arrived from there have you not?" Lantern's nasal voice washed over Goku, still slightly worn from dragging the bulky man down the hallway. At Goku's nod he continued, "Yes? Then the information we received was correct, which leads me to believe that you are a Saiyan. However, you are lacking a certain important bit of your anatomy: your tail. Do the Saiyans not place high value on their furry appendages?"

Goku took a breath at the end of the sentence, having held it the entire time Lantern had been talking. He placed his gloved hand over the inside of his elbow, trying to rub the memory out. "To be honest, I don't really remember where I'm from. I just…woke up on Vegeta. I don't have a tail, so I don't think I'm Saiyan." His own lie sounded horribly obvious to Goku but he hoped it would fool everyone else. He could _not_ let them see the small, circular stub at the small of his back. The Saiyans were a prideful race and would never miss a chance to pronounce their heritage to the world. Kami knows how many times Vegeta spouted his princely status to Goku despite the fact they were the only two Saiyans alive. Who knows what Frieza might decide to do if he found out Goku was a Saiyan.

"Most interesting! So you say that you have woken up on a completely – to you- unrecognizable planet and have no memory of your life before that one moment? Fascinating! To think-"

"Shut up Lantern." Everyone but Goku said in unison and he almost giggled. It sounded like it was something they said on an hourly basis.

"Seriously Lant, don't drive the new guy to suicide." Letifer commented, simply laughing away Lantern's angry protest at the nickname. He slung and arm over Goku's shoulders, almost pushing Paar away.

_Don't freak out Goku, don't freak out. Don't jump away from the scary looking alien!_ He repeated it over and over like mantra in his head, shooting Letifer a nervous grin but damn it all but Letifer scared the crap out of him.

"Eventually, you'll start hearing Lant talk in your dreams. Then…"he swiped a thumb over Goku's throat, "You can kiss sleep goodbye!"

The others, even Solzt, cracked a grin at that. It was obvious that all of them, at one point in their service, had heard Lantern's voice in their dreams. He was next, apparently but in all honesty, it was probably Letifer's face that was going to haunt Goku's dreams.

"But don't sweat it Oroitz," Letifer continued, "Think of it like an initiation."

"Oh shut up you blue buffoon!" Lantern sniped and looked away indignantly, but otherwise he didn't look too offended, probably used to the jibes from his comrades.

They were close to the Cafeteria, judging from the smell of food and Goku's increasingly rumbling stomach. The cafeteria itself was rather large; a few dozen tables each with a score or so of soldiers sitting at each of them. They paid no attention to the group coming in and continued to eat without even a glance. At the end of the room were bored looking Aliens standing in front of what looked like a large, transparent refrigerator but none of the food looked anything remotely like Earth food. Or any food Goku could recognize.

"I'm off to the training rooms." Solzt suddenly said, turning away, "While all of you stuff yourselves, I'll be getting stronger." He turned an arrogant eye onto Goku, "If you've got any balls newcomer, come fight with me later. See ya." With a flick of his hair and a twinkle from his earring, he walked away, leaving Goku and the rest.

The group didn't say much and only Letifer threw Solzt a wave at his back before they turned their attention back to Goku.

Even though Solzt's conceited attitude ruffled Goku's hypothetical fur, the thought of engaging in a spar was actually a bit exciting. He hadn't sparred with anyone for a long while, not since he left with Shenron to train. There hadn't been anyone strong enough to even make him sweat. _If I think about it, there isn't anyone strong now either…but they don't know that._

"I'm actually pretty glad you aren't a Saiyan, Oroitz." Paar said, leading them to one of the Aliens and handing him his Identification card, "That means that you don't eat a ridiculous amount of food."

The rest nodded, not noticing Goku's horrified face, "I've worked with Saiyans before," Reizo added, "And man, can they eat! I've seen three ingest enough food to feed several armies." He clapped a hand on Goku's back with a laugh.

_Oh no!_ That never even crossed Goku's mind! It's true, if he weren't a Saiyan, he couldn't eat like one either. Oh damn it; he couldn't just suddenly go back on his story. His grumbling stomach sounded like a death knell to him now. He shot a panicked look at the amount the other, humanoid looking aliens were eating and it was _depressing_; less than a quarter of what he would eat back on Earth. He definitely needed to fix that communicator before he ended up starving!

_So to keep my cover in place…I have to eat normal amounts of food or…at least what __**counts**__ as normal compared to Saiyans. This is going to be hard. _With a gulp, he accepted the small tray of food Paar offered him, thanking the alien with a small, listless laugh and let them direct him to an empty table. He could already feel his feet dragging on the floor.

Paar sat before him while the others purchased their own food.

Goku's tray had several pieces of meat and some green things that looked kind of alive to him. Hesitantly, he took his fork and brought a piece of the meat to his mouth. He took small bites as slowly as he could managed, swishing the strange meat in his mouth in an effort to conserve the taste for as long as possible. What was it anyways? It didn't taste like anything he could place, but it was decent nonetheless. His new comrades were talking to him about the ship, completely ignorant of Goku's less than enthusiastic face.

"We'll show you the training rooms after." Reizo said, twirling his own fork in the strange green paste he had on his plate. "Oh! And after that, we'll show you the showers and where you sleep. It's not the best life, but it beats being on the wrong end of Lord Frieza's tail."

"I guess…" Goku answered, still picking slowly away at the meat.

"Do not be so depressed," Lantern began, wrongly believing Goku's dispirited face to be homesickness, "Soon you will get used to life here. If you are intelligent and persevere at gaining the approval of those higher than yourself, perhaps you will even be promoted!"

"Good luck with that though," Paar said, leaning against one muscular orange arm, "Most people don't _live_ long enough to be promoted. But enough chatter, let's eat and show Oroitz the rest of the important stuff."

There was a wordless sound of agreement between all of them and they resumed eating, joking amongst themselves. Even though there wasn't nearly enough food to fill a fraction of Goku's stomach and even though the reality was that he was a soldier on Frieza's ship, the atmosphere was almost friendly.

Almost.


	4. Is this Reality or Have I Always Slept?

The rest of the day passed in a flurry of explanations that Goku had strained to understand. His empty stomach wasn't helping anything either as the food he had eaten earlier was barely enough to sustain him and the toll of hunger was quickly wearing him down.

The next place after they had gone to was the armory. It was a well stocked room of weapons and armor, various bits and pieces lining the walls. This wasn't where they were stored, but apparently this is where one received new armor and weapons. He was expected to wear his regular armor at all times, even in the ship. The only time it was permissible to be without armor was sleep and even then, it had to be on hand or nearby at all times. The armor was nice and light though, as well as flexible so it wasn't too much of a hassle.

The weapons could only be accessed with permission from one of Frieza's lieutenants though, through an electronic modification of one's Identification card. The armor was a 'fill out and receive' type of thing and fortunately, Goku didn't have a problem understanding the language thanks to Chichi's constant nagging to teach him. He had relented at one point in time, with the persuasive help of Chichi's large frying pan of course. Now, he mentally thanked her because if it weren't for her, he would probably have a difficult time reading _anything_.

Next, they had led him to the training room, one of several. There were several on the third floor of Frieza's ship and each was roughly the size of Vegeta's gravity room back on Earth, large enough to have up to ten or fifteen soldiers sparring.

"There won't be more than about seven people in there though." Paar had explained, "Most soldiers work in separate quadrants owned by Lord Frieza. We're really only on this ship once every couple of months and only for a few days at a time. Mostly, we come here for replacements, either armor or…squad mates."

"So we'll be leaving soon?" Goku questioned. The farther away from Frieza he was the better it would be. They were leaving the Training Room and heading down the hallway again.

Paar had nodded, "We'll be heading to Quadrant Zero-A. It's actually not too far from here, only about half a month's travel by pod."

"Yeesh!" Goku exclaimed, eyes wide, "Half a month by pod? How do you last? What do you eat?"

"My, you are really in no possession of any part of your memory aren't you?" Lantern spoke, "Inside the pod, you enter into stasis. Lord Frieza's scientists have created a chemical compound consisting of-"

"Shut up Lantern. What he's _trying_ to say, stop glaring at me Lantern." Letifer sighed, throwing the lanky alien an annoyed look followed by a quick grin, "Don't worry Lant, one day you'll catch Oroitz all alone and you can talk his ear off!" He turned away from Lantern, nimbly dodging the talkative alien's mock punches. "Anyways Oro, you don't mind the nickname right? Good, so, what our less handsome friend here is trying to say is that when you're in the Pod, there is a button that releases a gas that pulls you into stasis. That means when you get tired or whenever you decide, you press the button and off to sleep you go."

"The pod also has bio-support," Reizo added and nodded to himself, "It monitors your heart rate and everything else, increasing or decreasing caloric intake and whatnot. You can also head to the Med Bay and request a change in the amount of chemicals in your Bio-support. But…" He shrugged, "Don't count on it. Changes to the pods are pretty expensive and unless you're really, really useful or a lieutenant, the request form won't ever even make it up the ladder."

"Oooh." Goku answered, sort of getting the jist but something told him he was going to be avoiding the Med Bay as much as he could.

"Don't get fooled by the bio-support though," Paar said, leading them towards the barracks, "Yeah sure it keeps you alive, but it's not _real_ food. You need to eat between missions or stasis will really fuck with your body. Too much time in there and you start looking like a starved orphan." He shivered and the others looked away with pained faces.

Goku looked down, startled to see the unfamiliar gold tips of his new boots. Soldier life was starting to sound more and more horrifying by the minute. First there was barely any food, he had to get a _shot_, and now from what they were telling him, he would possibly spend ages in pods. And in stasis as well. Is this what Vegeta went through for most of his young adult life? It was already unthinkable and he had barely even been here a day. The urge to find and finish Frieza was getting bigger and bigger by the second but the faces of all his friends and enemies passed in front of his eyes and he snuffed it down, remembering that everything in his future – in the Universe's future- depended on his ability to think and stay calm.

"Say," he suddenly asked, interrupting Paar, "Aren't we leaving soon? Why are you giving me a tour of this place?"

"Hey," Reizo nudged him in the rib, "You're a smart one!"

Goku laughed and shook his head, "You're the first person to ever say that Reizo." He grinned at the orange haired man, "And probably the last."

Reizo grinned back, "The reason is that nearly all Base Ships in the quadrants have the same exact layout." He lowered his voice to a mumble, pulling Goku down slightly to whisper in his ear, "Lord Frieza's not exactly known for design creativity." He and Goku giggled together conspiratorially then Reizo turned to Paar, "I like him!"

Paar rolled his blue eyes, "You like _everyone_." He ignored Reizo's childish pout and continued walking.

A few minutes later they were at what looked like the barracks. Officially, it was apparently called the Sleeping Quarters but everyone called it the barracks. There were bunks and each room was roughly the size of Goku's living room back at home.

"The reason they're so small is that not many serve on this ship. Usually, everyone is on ship during major announcements but most of the time, being on the ship is rare." Letifer led Goku into one of the Quarters where there were four bunk beds and several small lockers against the walls, "We're staying here until your Identification card comes in and then we're off-" he shot a clawed hand through the air like a child, "to Quadrant Zero-A."

Goku nodded, listening carefully to their explanations. He was aware of his airheaded-ness, but this wasn't the time to be brushing off details. Especially since they would be important later and because it wasn't likely anyone would repeat it to him if he asked.

"So…" He looked to everyone, "What do you guys do in your spare time?"

He got a few laughs at that and Lantern brought his hand to his mouth, coughing. "My dear Oroitz, we _rarely_ have spare time. In fact, overlooking the grand tour we have given you today, we will be spending most of our time on missions. Soldiers like us, with higher power levels, are not relegated to ship duty often and the only spare time we have available to ourselves is between missions." He hummed, tapping a finger against his stubby nose, "Retrospectively, we are given only one or two days between each assignment." There was a pause but no one spoke and Lantern shot all of them an angry glare, "What?"

A grin spread across Paar's snout and he laughed gruffly, "Nothing Lantern. Just, that was the shortest explanation I have ever heard you give. What? Don't look at me like that, you know it's true." He looked at Reizo and Letifer who nodded, even further irking Lantern.

"So, how do you make friends?" Goku asked and suddenly, he was pinned down with confused looks. "What?" He shot a questioning look at them. _Did I ask something that strange?_

"Oro…" Letifer said somberly, looking down, "On-ship fraternization isn't…well…it isn't encouraged actually."

"Wait what?" Goku's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets, "What do you mean?"

Reizo shrugged, "This is a military ship Oroitz. We aren't here to make friends. Any comradeship we have with one another is purely coincidental. Most of the time, we just know our squad mates and the top Lieutenants."

Goku nodded, understanding and it seemed like reality was hitting him in the face once again. It had been a mistake to think, even for a brief moment, that this wasn't a ship comprised of 'slaves.' It hurt to think of it that way, but he saw the reserved look in their eyes. Frieza didn't really inspire loyalty through conventional means and Goku didn't even want to think about the circumstances surrounding his team's induction into the tyrant's army.

The mood was broken though and Reizo's hand clapped him soundly on the shoulder, "Hey, how about we find Solzt and ya sock him good in the mouth for being a bastard?"

Goku immediately perked up, sparring always got him into a good mood! The others noticed his upbeat face and they mirrored his grin.

"Good!" Reizo shot a closed fist into the air and Goku mirrored him, tapping his knuckles against the humanoid. He turned to Letifer, Paar and Lantern, "Are ya' guys going to come?"

Paar nodded and the rest agreed as well.

"I will admit," Lantern began, "Solzt is indeed in sore need of a fist to his face."

Placing a hand on his thick neck, Letifer cracked it, "True." He punched Goku lightly in the shoulder, "Sometimes we end up ganging up on his ass just to put him in place. Initiation time!"

"I thought initiation was hearing Lantern's voice in your dreams!" Goku laughed, not dodging Lantern's annoyed punch to his shoulder as an apology for elongating the joke.

"Yeah," Letifer amended, "But this is like…a _secondary_ initiation." He held up two fingers, "Initiation has two phases: One, you beat Solzt right in his narcissistic face. Two, Lantern starts narrating your dreams. Got it?"

"Got it."

They headed towards the training rooms and thankfully, the smaller population of this level meant that Goku needn't constantly sidestep to avoid being bumped into. Everyone was at the cafeteria, the showers or the training rooms. There were ten training rooms, each labeled with a number based on the Quadrant ship.

_So according to Letifer, since this is the base ship, the training rooms are B-1 through B-10 and Solzt has a habit of using anything-seven._

"Don't know why though," The blue giant added, sighing, "He's just weird. Part of me thinks it's because it makes him easier to find." He laughed, smiling at Paar, "Solzt does have an attention problem doesn't he?"

Goku grinned, "I used to have a friend _just_ like Solzt. He was so arrogant I was convinced he had a diary dedicated to himself." He remembered Vegeta's sullen face and ran ahead of his mates, "Oh and he always did this." He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and scowling at the floor like it just insulted him. He looked up to find Letifer, Lantern, Paar and Reizo clutching each other in laughter.

"Oh god!" Letifer clapped two hands on Goku's shoulders, almost shaking him. "That's the _exact_ look that Solzt _always_ has! I swear he was born with it." The others settled down, and they continued towards Training room B-7.

By the time they reached B-7, Goku had already told the group about Vegeta's arrogant personality. Without naming him of course. The result was that everyone was almost howling in laughter, holding up hands to muffle their guffawing.

"They really gave him a pink shirt to wear? Oh man that's rich." Reizo managed after a few minutes, leaning against Goku in order to catch his breath. "Did ya' know that one day, we hid Solzt's precious earrings and he nearly _exploded?_"

"Yes! I was sure he was going to collapse into desperate sobs after he couldn't convince us to give them back!" Lantern added, giggling against his hand, "Of course, he acted like none of it happened after. He refuses to even acknowledge the event! Would not speak to us after either, ah here we are!" Lantern pointed at the door that said TR B-7. He peered through the window that separated the hallway from the room, "And there is our self-loving, pale haired friend. Shall we enter?"

Solzt was punching and kicking at an imaginary opponent, and Goku managed to stifle a grin as he noticed that the alien was flicking his hair every so often. He looked at the others, who were also trying to hide wide grins behind their hands.

Solzt finally notice them, barely turning his head in acknowledgment. He tilted his jaw upward, a grin spreading over his pale face, revealing perfect white teeth, "So newcomer, you _do_ have a pair on you. I was beginning to doubt from what I saw in the med bay." He leaned forward, hands on hips and positively purred a challenge to Goku, "So what do you say? Want to come in here and get your face beaten in by yours truly?" He flicked his hair back, revealing one red jeweled earring.

Goku wasn't cowed and he grinned back at Solzt, "So do you practice those poses in a mirror?" He heard a sputter and Solzt looked positively outraged.

Solzt narrowed his eyes and he shot a positively dangerous glare at the others, who immediately muffled their laughter behind clenched fists. His eye twitched and he scowled, confident grin washed away and he turned to Goku, "What did you say?"

Goku shrugged and pretended to look completely innocent, years of experience with Vegeta telling him exactly how to rile the man up. "Nothing," He said, shrugging as if he were completely confused, "Just wondering if your girlfriend lent you her earrings." He couldn't resist cracking a grin as he heard his new team mates fail at subduing their laughter despite Solzt's angry hissing.

"You are…" Solzt growled, clenching his fists, "going to regret saying those words!" He crouched low, almost curling his arms against his torso.

Goku could see a nerve throbbing on Solzt forehead and he grinned, tilting his head and goading his fellow squad mate. In all honesty, he didn't really have anything against Solzt but the man's nonchalant yet arrogant attitude coupled with the stress of being Frieza's _soldier_ was starting to wear thin Goku's patience. He didn't even move from his spot, simply spreading his legs in his customary stance.

Solzt suddenly disappeared from his spot, reappearing beside Goku in a flash that would have been impossible to detect _had Goku not been so much stronger._ He let loose his fist in an angry blow against Goku's head, "Bastard!"

The punch caught Goku's temple, hitting with the force of a small boulder and sending him to the floor. Last second, Goku moved away, lessening the strength of the punch before he slammed into the ground underneath him. It was ironically, the impact of the metal against his shoulder that hurt more than Solzt's actual punch and he resisted the urge to laugh and further piss off the already angry humanoid. He jumped to his feet and stepped backwards.

"Not so tough are you now huh?" Solzt yelled again and he raised an armored leg only to have it strike nothing but air. Eyes wide, he turned his head in confusion, landing softly against the floor. "Where are you!"

"Right behind you!" Goku's fist caught Solzt in the stomach, and he jumped away before the man could react, crouching low and sending a kick to topple his opponent. It connected with Solzt's legs and the man dropped to the floor.

Solzt twisted his torso at just the right moment, catching himself with his arms. A growl of rage let loose from his chest and he flashed again, appearing on top of Goku. He extended one leg and bent the other, plummeting at full force and aiming at Goku's head.

Goku dodged to the side, letting Solzt land before he brought his own fist up against Solzt's face. To Goku, it was almost painfully slow, like watching a football in slow motion like in those movies back at home. He couldn't forget about where he was and who he was fighting against and he adjusted his expression to look surprised when Solzt dodged it with an arrogant laugh.

Solzt caught his fist, pushing it aside with a low chuckle, "What's wrong? Too slow?" He brought his own first up and slammed it against Goku's stomach with what he thought was considerable strength. When it connected, he let out a triumphant cackle.

Goku keeled over the fist for a moment, letting Solzt experience a momentary sensation of victory before he grinned and jumped away. He let Solzt's surprised face soak into him but he didn't tarry, jumping over the stunned man to land a solid blow against his back and sending him sprawling against the floor.

Solzt was up almost instantly, turning to face Goku but the conceited look he had worn only moments ago had melted away into a fierce frown. His eyes blazed and he rubbed away the small trail of blood falling from his nose; results of slamming almost face first into the floor.

_Oh good, I thought I held back too much there._ Goku thought, bringing his fists up again and hopping from one foot to the other. _But it's so hard; it's almost like fighting against a baby!_ "What's wrong?" He taunted, crooking a finger, "Too slow?"

Solzt's already enraged face contorted into sheer fury. If there was one thing he hated worse than being made fun of it was being _humiliated_ in front of people and he sped forward, white hair flowing behind him like a banner. He grit his teeth together, eyes flashing as he disappeared and reappeared right before Goku. He brought his fist forward, aiming at Goku's face and just as he was about to dodge it, Solzt feinted, crouching and bringing his leg up in a ferocious kick at Goku's midsection. "Dodge this you cunt!" He yelled.

The fist coming straight towards his face disappeared and instead, Goku saw a kick coming at him from the side. It was indeed fast, but Goku was faster and he jumped back, letting the leg fly by harmlessly. A gust of wind accompanied the sweep, spreading behind Goku in a visible flurry. The feint had almost, _almost_ caught Goku off guard but his battle instincts and skills were already vastly superior to that of Solzt's and despite the small burst of surprise, his body reacted far before his mind had registered the move. He jumped over the leg, taking full advantage of Solzt's surprise and extending a kick. Twisting his body to add extra momentum, he felt the impact against Solzt's head all the way down to his toes. _Oh crap, I didn't use too much strength did I? _ A small sliver of worry ran down his spine and Solzt fell against the floor again, this time with an audible 'thunk' as his armor broke under the blow. Immediately, Goku was on his knees beside Solzt, "Hey, are you ok? I'm sorry, I used too much and-"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Solzt lifted himself off the floor, swatting away Goku's offered hand and standing up. He glared down over his nose at Goku's face, scowling. "Used too much? I held back you moron." He grabbed Goku by the collar of his suit, pulling him up to yell in his face, "And why the fuck would you apologize? Are you going to stop once your enemy gets a booboo? Gonna lick his wounds like a bitch? You retarded-"

"Hey, calm down Solzt." Reizo came to stand behind Goku, pulling the back of Goku's armor, forcing Solzt to let go. "This was only a spar."

Goku stood on his feet, dusting his thighs and knees off. He regretted apologizing to the arrogant alien and crossed his arms, "You need to fix your attitude."

Solzt looked away, not meeting Goku's eyes. "Tch, idiot." He Pushed Goku and Reizo aside and made his way to the doors of the training room. He avoided his companion's eyes as well, keeping his gaze locked on the door. "I'm heading to the showers. Catch you losers later." With a swish of the doors and a brisk walk past the viewing window, he was out of their sight.

"That was quite entertaining Oroitz!" Lantern suddenly said, coming to stand beside Goku. "The sight of Solzt sprawling pathetically against the floor never ceases to amuse me."

"Or us," Reizo added with a grin, "He's always such a bastard to everyone. But that comment about the earrings was _amazing._ Right Paar? Leti?"

The two came forward, and Letifer was grinning widely, showing off his sharp teeth. "I haven't seen Solzt that riled up since he got his hair accidentally cut away by an opponent."

"Good fight too," Paar commented with an approving nod. "I'm pretty impressed." He flicked his tongue against his teeth visibly, "Looks like you can hold your own eh? One of these days, I want a match against you too."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would be most beneficial. You are indeed a skilled fighter and to go against one such as yourself would be-"

"Shut up Lantern." They said and this time Goku joined in, giggling when Lantern shot them all an annoyed glower.

"Shall we head to the showers too?" Letifer offered, "Solzt's prissy mood should be over about now." At Goku's confused face he clarified, "He has mood swings. But make no mistake; he's going to have a small grudge for a while. It'll fade though. Showers everyone?" He didn't wait for an answer, grabbing Goku and Lantern by the shoulder and almost hauling them through the doors and in the same direction Solzt had gone. Paar and Reizo followed, shaking their heads at their large blue companion.

"Still," Reizo said, slapping Goku's back, "That was a fantastic job ya' did. Couldn't have kicked Solzt's smarmy face with more finesse myself!"

"Gee thanks guys," Goku said in response to their praises. "Solzt wasn't bad either! Actually, he almost had me at one point; guess I was just lucky huh?" He grinned, feet almost dragging as he was pulled along.

"That wasn't luck. That was Solzt's arrogance getting in the way of his- huh?" Letifer stumbled in place.

Goku fell against the blue alien, stumbling with him but he couldn't catch his balance and almost tumbled to the floor. It wasn't him though, with a start, he realized the entire _ship _was shaking! He looked above him, holding an arm up and blocking the small bits of metal that fell off the ceiling. He took a look at the others and they were also having a hard time staying on their feet. "What's happening?" He yelled over the shaking and placed a hand against the wall to try to keep balance.

"I don't know!" Paar shouted over the cacophony, "It's happening outside!" He pointed an orange arm towards one of the windows, and shouted something Goku couldn't hear.

But Goku understood all the same and he rushed to the window, almost falling on the way there. He was joined a moment later by Letifer and the others and they crowded around him, holding the rim of the window in an attempt to keep themselves up while the ship shook around them. It was unnaturally bright outside and Planet Vegeta was in clear view, various dots spotting the surface of the otherwise immaculately red planet. Suddenly, everything was horrifying as realization slowly sunk into him. He gripped the rim tightly and the metal dented around his fingers.

"Something is happening outside! It has tremendous force!" Lantern nearly screamed in Goku's ear, grabbing onto Reizo's shoulder as he stumbled.

An acute feeling of dread settled deeply in Goku's stomach. _I know what's happening. _The thought was so clear it was terrifying. _I know what this is! NO! Not yet! It…it __**can't**__be! This is…this is…_ "No! NO!" He cried out, gritting his teeth in panic.

There was no doubt. As the abnormal light dimmed, Goku could see that dots weren't really dots. The round blotches formed limbs and heads. They were people! There were _people_ out there. He wanted, no he _needed_ to see what was going on and he began to crush the metal in his hands. Just as he was about to rip the oval window clean off, hands grabbed his armor, trying to pull him away.

"No Oroitz! Stop! You'll get caught in whatever is happening!" Letifer's voice sounded close and there was the sensation of hands gripping every part of his body in an effort to hold him back.

"Leave," he gasped, vision starting to bleed red. "Me…"

The hands that were holding him back let go and there were hisses of pain but Goku didn't notice. The air was heating around him, bubbling and boiling from every pore in his body. The metal underneath his palms began to melt and dripped to the floor.

"ALONE!" His scream was accompanied by a massive force and Paar's group was thrown back against the walls. Only a small fraction of his control remained, enough to barely keep him from completely losing it, from blasting everyone around him into bits.

"Paar," Reizo cried out, braced against the wall, "He's losing it!" His hair was whipping around his like a fire and he grit his teeth against the force.

"I know! I know!" Paar yelled over the din, reaching for Letifer who was about to be blown away. Grabbing the blue alien by the armor, he hauled him against the wall.

_Who is that?_ Goku's rage quelled for a single moment and his vision cleared. _Who is that man?_ There was someone in the distance. Someone familiar, but completely different at the same time. He was at the forefront of the people gathered before Frieza's ship. Goku's sharp eyes traced the contours of a furry tail wrapped around a thick waist, trailing upwards to see broken battle armor just barely covering the man's chest. Slowly, his fury quieted and the force emanating from his body lessened.

He couldn't understand what the Saiyan was saying, only the vaguest idea from the movements of his mouth. One of his cheeks had a scar and there was a red headband sitting over black eyes blazing with fury. Lastly, his hair was an exact copy.

Goku's breath caught in his throat and his power completely diminished as he stared in shock.

_He has my hair. __**He has my face.**__No that's not right…I have __**his**__ face._

He knew who that man was. _ That's….that's…It can't be. Is it really?_

Bardock.

That name had been thrown around so many times. First Radditz, then Frieza and then Vegeta. Over and over and over, a name to symbolize his Saiyan heritage. Until then, he had only the vaguest idea of what that name meant. It was an amalgam of letters, and thought it had been a powerful motivator it was just an icon to him. Like his tail had been. First it was only a tail, a hindrance. Then it became a symbol of who he was, _what_ he was. But still, it hadn't _meant_ anything really. Not like this.

Bardock was no longer just a name, no longer just a relic of his past that he really had no connection to.

That was his father. _ That was his father_ _there and he wasn't a name anymore._

He placed his hands on the glass, leaning forward in amazement, eyes wide and jaw slack in astonishment.

The Saiyan was speaking to someone he couldn't see. Was angry at some unknown entity floating above Goku's head. Bardock's hands were clenched and his fury was almost palpable to Goku, who could see himself in every movement, in every muscle the man had. Even the fury felt the same.

A ball of energy formed in Bardock's hand, bright blue against the angry red of the planet behind him. Like a glass of cool water against the divine rage of a massive, warrior planet. It looked like an eye from where he was standing and it _glared_.

But there was another light as well, a beautiful, yellow glow falling over Bardock's face and the faces over everyone behind him. What was it? The radiant ball in Bardock's hand was gone, thrown at whatever had cast such a golden shine over everyone. Suddenly, the triumphant flare in Bardock's eyes turned to despair and Goku felt it in the pit of his stomach.

Everything seemed to suddenly flip and Goku felt his knees begin to buckle under the weight of that helplessness. It seeped into every pore and the air around him was suffocating and thick, clogging his nose and throat. He couldn't breathe and he could barely _see_ past the helpless anguish in his father's eyes.

When did this man go from 'Bardock' to 'his father?' He didn't know, but it happened in the space of seconds. Or was it years? He couldn't tell.

The shining light that looked so beautiful, the radiance that seemed so heavenly only moments ago became a death knell. It hurt.

Wasn't yellow the color of the sun? The color of life and happiness? Then why was it so terrifying here?

The faces he beheld in the wake of the golden light weren't the faces of men meeting _life._ It was the face of men experiencing the bottomless depth of fear. It was the color of _treachery _and _deceit. _

Planet Vegeta had stood so valiantly against Frieza, its bright fiery atmosphere the color of passion, of fury, of blood and courage. But it was also the color of sacrifice, of guilt and _sin_. And just as its brilliant crimson color was a fitting curtain of ferocity, it was also their final curtain.

It became bright and brighter and the individual colors of the men, their armor, their faces, their hair became one under sickening glow. No longer were they _men_ standing against Frieza's horrible tyranny, they were reduced to cowering _rats_ and they were snuffed out.

That beautiful red planet, so violent and fierce and so _angry_ in its fury was reduced to nothing in a matter of minutes.

Planet and inhabitants perished together in an inferno that lit up every corner of the Galaxy.

Goku didn't realize he was on his knees until there was a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't see. Why couldn't he see? Did that terrifying golden radiance blind him? No, it was something else.

Tears slid down his face and hesitantly, he raised a trembling hand to touch his eyes. He couldn't feel the wetness through the gloves and he stared at his fingers. An acute sense of confusion bombarded him as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Were those really his fingers? Yes, yes they were. The tears on those fingers were his. Those fingers were his.

He was really here.

A sob shook his frame and suddenly, he was weak. The cold of the ship's metal against his forehead did nothing. He _felt_ nothing.

"O…Oroitz?" A gentle voice prodded him but Goku didn't respond. He _couldn't_ respond.

What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to reply? What did one say in this situation?

That hand was pulling on him and he let it haul him up and lean his broken body against the ship. He could see again, barely and there were the blurry colors of orange, red, blue and peach in front of him. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and the strange sensation of helplessness coursed through his limbs.

"N…no." He croaked weakly, voice wavering. Was that him? He sounded so unsure of himself. So _scared_.

"W…why?" He asked again, and there was silence for a moment.

"I don't know Oroitz. I don't know." Letifer's hollow voice washed over him, a fitting sound to echo in his head.

_I'm not Oroitz! I'm Goku! I'm Kakarot! I am the son of Bardock!_ He wanted to scream, but he remembered – just a little- and it held him back. Held him from ruining everything.

_I'm a Saiyan!_ He wanted to say, wanted to shout it in their faces until they understood. _And…and I could have stopped it!_ Another sob shook his body and his knees felt weak again, unable to support him.

"What the fuck!" Solzt's grating tenor collided against his ears like two bricks and Goku winced, hunching over. There were footsteps but they slowed down to stop beside them, "What's wrong-"

"Shut the fuck up Solzt." Paar's voice quieted the pale alien.

Solzt looked at Goku, bent forward like a withered tree with his eyes pressed firmly into his palms. He understood and if Goku could even look for even one second, he would see his face mirrored across his squad mates.

A moment passed. Or maybe it was hours, Goku couldn't tell. But Reizo's quiet voice broke the silence, "We need to get to the barracks."

Goku felt them pulling at him and he got to his feet but listlessly, dragging his lead-like legs against the floor. Did they up the gravity here? It felt like it was 5000 times heavier than before. Or was it just him? He let them move his body, keeping his hands against his eyes in an effort to stem the flow of tears.

There was the sensation of walking and sitting and the strange lack of light. He finally let go, looking around and finding himself in the barracks. There was no one else there, and he looked for his group but found no one. Apparently, they had left him but when? It didn't matter.

He dragged himself off of the bed, shedding his battle armor, boots and gloves. He looked at his fingers again and giggled. They were his fingers again! He was normal again! The giggling escalated and soon, he was laughing hysterically. For one scary, lucid moment he was glad he was alone, but it was washed away in the wake of frenzied laughter. Then the laughter turned to tears and back again.

Back and forth and back and forth. Sadness, happiness, then back to sadness and _confusion._ What was he feeling? He had never known this feeling. It was so strange; it was like his very _bones_ were empty, like a single gust of wind could break him.

He lay against the bed, staring at the bottom of the bunk above him. He was still giggling and the detailed, meticulous seams between the metal plates became one blurry line as a new wave of tears cascaded down the sides of his face. Finally, _finally_ he understood.

This was powerlessness.

This was true desolation.


	5. A First Mission, The Barrier

Sleep came easy to Goku. The shock of seeing his father's death combined with the earlier toll of not enough food and copious stress let him fall easily into slumber. It was the dreams that were merciless. Over and over again, he felt despair in the pit of his stomach and he saw his father's face countless of times. He kept seeing that yellow radiance quickly turn a sickly pale color over the faces of countless soldiers, both Saiyan and Frieza's. It replayed again and again like a broken VHS until he couldn't tell whether he was the one dying or the one watching from the window.

Even though he hadn't seen the tyrant, Goku's imagination easily supplied Frieza's laughing, arrogant cackles above the orchestra of death beneath him. He could easily see Frieza gazing down at them, uncaring and cruel.

Hate coursed through his body and twisted his limbs until he had woken up, thrashing against the gritty sheets. Goku sat up, drenched in sweat.

_Where am I? Was it all just a bad dream?_ No, his vision cleared and the desolate darkness of the barracks greeted him, still empty. He was still alone. Goku slumped back against the bed, body stiff once again. The images replayed in his head again and he felt a new wave of despair threatening to overtake his body.

Why had he not done anything? Why had he just stood there, knees weak and fists clenched uselessly against the cold window of the ship? He had just _watched_ an entire civilization die before him and he had done nothing. He was a failure. The future and Buu and everyone else didn't matter in the wake of so much death and catastrophe. He had known Earth's destruction twice but there was always a way to bring it back. But there was no such hope for Vegeta, that planet had seen its last day at the hands of Frieza.

_Frieza._ _That bastard. I'll, I'll-!_ Do what? Kill him? Jeopardize the future? But what was the right course of action? _Was_ there a right course of action? What was right anymore? Was it right that so many had to die so the future could be what it was?

Before there had been no doubt. There hadn't been a single shred of hesitation regarding his decisions but that was because the events that were to come were so _vague_. The death of Planet Vegeta had been simply a story to him; an old feeling of revenge that wasn't really _his _but was an obligation placed on his shoulders. He was an Earthling right?

Grew up on Earth. Had his best memories on Earth. Had a family, a friendship and rivalry…all on Earth. Vegeta was an old story, a pain that was not his but he had taken it on without really understanding. It had been the burden of someone too pure hearted to understand that it wasn't that simple.

No, killing Frieza right now will not bring Planet Vegeta back. Killing Frieza would be too much of a risk.

He laughed, but it was hollow. Goku laughed at himself. To think, this was the one time in his life outside of battle where he was thinking logically and calmly! Despite the events that had just happened. That was just priceless. The one time where he _should_ do something, where every fiber in his body screamed at him to lose control, to get _angry_ and get _revenge_…he was calm. He didn't want to kill Frieza. He didn't want to do anything. He just…he just wanted to go home.

But that was just wishful thinking. He looked over the side of his bed, and there was the communicator in his boot, sitting there broken. It needed to be fixed if he ever wanted a chance to return home. The dragon balls flashed through his head, but they were out of the question too. Goku had no idea where he was. He didn't even know where Quadrant Zero-A was. There were no familiar energy signals he could lock onto either so he was stuck.

The best thing he could do right now, was find the technology to fix the communicator. Maybe he would be able to contact someone in his timeline who _could_ help him. But that was still a ways off, he couldn't forget he needed to, somehow, convince one of Frieza's tech to help him.

Groggily, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He pulled on his armor, then boots and finally, gloves. He patted the communicator down to minimize the bulge it was making. He could somewhat see his reflection in the metal plating on the wall, there were black circles under his eyes and his hair was a mess, strands sticking out everywhere. His eyes looked empty and his skin looked paler than usual.

_I look horrible._ He thought somberly, and tried to fix his hair to something more seemly. He needed a shower to wash away the memories of the previous day from his skin. His stomach also growled weakly and he gave another laugh, weakling slamming his fist against the wall. Goku took a deep breath, pulling away from the wall to look at the ceiling.

Planet Vegeta was gone. His father was gone. But the future was still there and so was the universe. _Goku_ was still there and he had a job to do.

The light of the hallway was almost blinding, and he felt sick at the sight of the yellow walls of the ship. He ignored the nausea, briskly walking towards where he remembered the showers to be. There was no one in the hallways. The ship felt empty and he could sense less than half the energy signals he could before. He didn't need too much imagination to realize what happened to Frieza's men.

Those who stood up to the tyrant the previous day hadn't only been Saiyans. Many of them wore the Battle Armor of Frieza's army and they too had perished.

_Your own men Frieza! Your __**own**__men!_ How could he? What he could sense was Paar's and the other's Ki in one of the training rooms. He could also sense a far higher power at the topmost level of the ship. He stopped in his tracks, clenching his fists. Frieza's energy had always been a bad feeling but right now, it was nothing short of _revolting_. Goku had to strain and ignore it, resuming his walk to the showers.

The showers were also empty. He looked around the metal room. There were stalls at one end and he could see the tops of showerheads over them. He looked to his side, seeing small lockers there. In a matter of seconds his armor, boots and gloves were off along with the spandex suit. No need to stuff them in the lockers because, hah, there was no one on the ship anyways!

He looked around for a moment anyways, before he took off the hairband and let his hair fall into its natural style. He shot another look at the door but sensed no energies near it. Good, he didn't have to worry about the stub of his tail. The real challenge was actually sensing anyone get near the showers because he would really have to strain himself to do it.

Goku stared in confusion at the stall for a moment, he was inside and there was a showerhead but no knobs or buttons…or anything else. He touched the wall with his hands, trying to feel for anything that might help turn the water on.

"Turn the water on, warm." He commanded suddenly, realizing it was voice activated. The showerhead responded, sputtering a bit of water out before a steady stream of lukewarm water descended over his head. He groaned in relief and the warm water washed down his neck and over his body to fall into the drain below. He glanced down at his hands, realizing they were bubbly and a few seconds later, his eyes began to sting.

_The water is mixed with soap_, he thought, but apparently it was only intermittent. A bit later, the water was coming out completely clear. So he had limited time huh? No problem. He scrubbed his hair and skin with his hands, trying to use his blunt nails to clear the day's memories out of his pores. Soon there was no soap anymore, only clear water. He looked down at his skin, realizing that there were long red lines where he had run his nails across.

The water stopped, leaving him drenched and alone in the stalls. Steam rose from the floor and fogged the reflective metal walls. Eventually, he started feeling the cold and he stepped out of the stall and looked around for some towels or something to dry himself with. He didn't need to worry about his hair as it was still in its natural style despite the scrubbing he had given it.

He found towels in the lockers, clean and folded. He dried himself off as quickly as he could but he still felt no cleaner than he had the night (day?) before. There were mirrors on the wall as well and Goku shot a glance at himself. Was that a scar?

_Bardock? No wait, that's me._ He placed a hand on the mirror, watching it fog up under the heat of his palm. He had to concentrate for a moment and the scar disappeared but the hopeless look in his eyes didn't. It was true then, he realized, he looked _exactly_ like his father. It was uncanny. No wonder Frieza had thought he was Bardock back on Namek.

His father appeared in the mirror again, mouth moving in words he couldn't hear. Goku shook his head, sending water droplets flying everywhere. He staggered back and closed his eyes, opening them only when he felt like he could handle what he saw. But there was nothing in the mirror. He was alone again, standing there with dark linings under his usually bright eyes and his face drooped almost as if it was desperately trying to hold itself together. As quickly as he could, he pulled his hair into the pony tail he had adopted as Oroitz.

Unable to stand looking at himself, he turned away and pulled on his clothing, hating the way the material felt against his skin. He longed for the soft texture of his gi and the familiar fit of his boots. Most of all, he didn't want to wear the stupid scouter. It glared at him from under the towel he had dropped and reluctantly, he picked up and placed it over his eye, part of his vision turning orange. He dropped the towel in the bin beside the door labeled "Towels" and stepped out. He knew he should feel better after a shower, but he wasn't any different.

Sighing, he extended his senses, trying to find Letifer and the others. He sensed Solzt's Ki, rising and boiling, no different than when he first met him. He was where the training rooms were and the others were with him. Goku followed the signature, walking quickly.

When he arrived, they all turned their heads to him. They were silent, offering no greeting. They simply looked at him with the eyes of men who had seen similar horrors. Suddenly, he understood. These men were no more killers than he was a scholar.

He walked to them, sitting on one of the benches beside Paar. Leaning back, he let his head lean against the wall with a long, drawn out sigh.

"There's been a change of plans." Paar suddenly said and Goku turned to look at him. The large lizard turned to look at him, blue eyes dull and a little hollow, "We are no longer stationed at Quadrant Zero-A."

Goku raised an eyebrow, not liking the news. "Why?"

Paar gestured to the empty hallway beyond the training room, "Lord Frieza has experienced a… sudden lack of personnel as of yesterday. We're assigned here until further notice." He pointed a finger above them, signifying orders from the higher ups.

Lantern coughed at the word "sudden."

_No! I can't be here! Not working under __**Frieza.**__ I can't talk to any technicians while Frieza is here! It will raise too much suspicion!_ He grunted in frustration, leaning forward to place his elbows against his knees and his face in the palm of his hand. This wasn't good. What was he supposed to do? He could keenly feel the communicator pushing against his anklebone, like a constant reminder. The answer was simple, deceptively simple: he had to be a good soldier until the opportunity came.

Goku sighed again, trying to quell the rage rising in his chest. Nothing was going the way he wanted and even worse, he couldn't conceivably do anything about it without risking the universe.

_So I have to save the Universe, yet again. By…letting Frieza be Frieza._ It tore an empty laugh from his chest when he thought about it.

"Oroitz," Reizo said, walking up to him. Producing a card from his armor, he offered it to Goku. It was an identification card with his face, his name, an id number, his power level and a red bar at the bottom.

Goku took it, examining the picture. "Where did they take the picture?" He certainly held no memory of standing for a photo anywhere.

"The pod is equipped with a camera, along with everything else. It's used as contact between pods and bases when the scouter isn't available." Paar answered.

_That explains the red background. It's the color of the pod's insides. Makes sense._ He thought. "What does this bar mean?" He rubbed his thumb over the crimson bar at the bottom of the card, under his picture.

"The bar is a color code for your rank. Red is Soldier. Green stands for Medical Bay Technician or Doctor. Yellow is for Ship Engineers and finally, Purple is for Lieutenants. It's Lord Frieza's color, so the higher ups will have it on their identification cards." Supplied Paar. He removed his own identification card and pointed at the numbers below his name. "This is your identification number. Only the last four digits are important. Remember them because they your pin numbers. Do you know what to use the card for?"

Goku nodded, "Moving level to level, accessing the pods and getting into the medical bay right?"

"Good," Letifer said, "But that's not all. You use your pin numbers to access your locker and everything else in case you misplace your card. Also, remember, you use it to get food."

Goku nodded, listening but he didn't really care. He was transfixed on the color of the bar on his card. Red. The color of blood, the color of Planet Vegeta…and now…._his_ color. The color of Frieza's soldier. He tucked it under his armor, and leaned back.

Reizo shot him a worried look, but didn't say anything. Goku tried to smile, but it was difficult…painful so he just settled for a weak wave. "Now what?" He asked them.

Lantern sighed, "We have been given an assignment, but I do not know what. But it is an off-ship mission. Suffice to say, I believe that our duties are to be resumed despite earlier…unfortunate events."

"To the docking bay." Solzt said.

"To the docking bay." Lantern agreed, and they headed out of the training room towards one of the Level 3 elevators.

Goku noticed the others were staring at him every few seconds; even Solzt had a strange look on his face. He knew what they wanted to ask, "Yesterday…" he began, "I almost lost it." He stopped and they turned to look at him, and he looked up to see multi-colored sets of eyes staring at him. But their looks were neither expectant nor accusatory. They simply…were.

Reizo shrugged, "its ok. We've all almost lost it at one point. It's not easy." He sighed, shoulders slumping, "It's not easy."

In a rare moment of kindness, Solzt added, "It doesn't get any easier from here. Especially now."

Paar, Letifer and Lantern looked at each other with a nod.

"Let's go. Lucky you woke up when you did, we were about to go get you. We have a tight schedule. Since we're one of the few squads that are still alive, our schedules have become significantly tighter until we can get other recruits." Paar sighed and his forked tongue flicked against his pointed teeth. "With…" He threw a hesitant glance at Goku then continued, "With Vegeta's destruction, we've also lost a fair amount of potential soldiers so we can expect to be busy for a while."

Goku let the words sink into him. Vegeta's destruction. But, for some reason it didn't hurt. It just echoed through his empty body and he realized the others were staring at him, almost waiting for a reaction. He shook his head, "I understand." Exploding in rage would accomplish nothing right now.

Paar nodded and Goku noticed the approval in their eyes. Not approval at his emotionless state, but his ability to stay calm. Yesterday's outburst and near loss of control had apparently instilled quite a bit of doubt into them. If he wanted to stay under the radar, he would have to do better.

"Good." Paar said finally after a moment of calm contemplation, examining Goku's form and eyes.

They continued their trek to the elevators in silence. Paar inserted his pin into the panel and they entered the elevator. "Level 4, Docking Bay." The elevator shifted and they moved down into the bowels of Frieza's ship. With a small jerk, they arrived at the lower level.

Goku looked through the hallway and he wasn't surprised when he picked up less than a quarter of the Ki he had felt only the day before. Frieza really _had_ done away with nearly all the men on his ship. What a freak. He would pay him back one day, twenty years later. That thought was the only thing keeping a lid on his fury.

The door they arrived was labeled DB-1 and they opened instantly, without the need for keycard or pin. Unlike the time when Goku arrived, it was nearly empty. The constant flutter and twist of Ki that had bombarded him was gone and instead there were only two or three men where there were once more than twenty.

With his group, they approached one of the men sitting at the panels to a computer terminal. The man was tall and thin, almost scraggly looking. One look at his identification card pegged him a technician. When Paar tapped the man's shoulder, he turned around with dead green eyes. The technician was tired looking and there were massive bags under his eyes and Goku could see the beginning of several bandages showing from underneath the armor. The man had been caught in the previous day's ordeal apparently.

"Yes?" He asked, sighing and rubbing the eye not covered by his pink scouter. "Do you have a mission assignment?"

Paar nodded, handing the man his card, "Off ship assignment. We need coordinates and objective."

The technician nodded and took the card, looking at the number and typing it in. Several screens popped up, pictures of planets and various lines of text. He sighed, flicking through the pages, "You're going to be very, very busy for a while. Your load has increased since yesterday. Mine too."

"Yeah, we sort of figured." Paar agreed, "So where are we going?"

"One second. I'm pulling it up now." Fingers blurred over the buttons, pressing and clicking. Screens flashed up and down in a matter of seconds and Goku could barely catch the pictures they were so fast. "Your next assignment is planet Vesu in Quadrant Zero-A, but you've been relocated to this ship between missions." He turned back to Paar, handing him his card back. "It's a Clean Bleach operation objective. You have a week to complete it after Log In. I've sent the details to your pods." He turned back to the computer screen, seemingly finished with them.

_Vesu?_ Goku wondered, glancing at the screen, but the planet and its details were already gone. _What's a Clean Bleach operation? _

"Come on Oro." Letifer spoke, a hand on Goku's shoulder. "We're leaving now."

Goku nodded and headed towards the pods along with the rest of them. These didn't have keycard slots but when Goku stepped in front of his Pod, the door opened without any coercion. _Why?_ He looked at Lantern and the peach colored alien shot him a look that told Goku he'd explain once he was in the pod. Goku nodded back and stepped into the circular vehicle, crouching to make sure his pony tail wasn't in an uncomfortable position. By the time he settled in his seat, the door had shut behind him, sealing him in darkness.

He waited for a few minutes and the inside of his pod suddenly lit up. This pod was simpler than the one he'd arrived it. The seat was the same red color, but there were only four screens and two control panels as well a detachable device near the metal seam of the door and the rest of the pod. The screens were already flickering on, several beeping noises accompanying the startup. That annoying robotic voice sounded through the pod: "Destination, Planet Vesu. Quadrant Zero-A. Celestial Coordinates Received. Applying Right Ascension and Declination. Estimated time of arrival, two weeks and three days. Have a nice trip."

The entire pod started to vibrate and there was the sensation of weightlessness followed quickly by the feeling of being propelled through space. The window was a dark red so Goku had a difficult time seeing outside, but the steel gray of the docking bay gave way to the darkness of space.

The screen right above the window flickered on and Paar's face appeared on the screen. A few moments later, his face moved to the corner of the screen and Letifer's, Solzt's, Reizo's and Lantern's faces also appeared.

"You've got questions." Paar stated bluntly.

Goku nodded, "This pod is a lot simpler than the one I arrived in." It wasn't the most important question on Goku's mind, but the feeling of uneasiness was become stronger and stronger with each passing second. For some reason, he wanted to avoid asking what he really wanted to ask for as long as he could.

"Hm," Paar noticed his hesitation, "This Pod is top of the line. We use older models for short trips. Look towards your top right."

Goku's eyes shifted towards the top of his pod and he noticed a small button, encased in a small semi-dome of glass.

"That's the button that pulls you in stasis. You can press it anytime." Letifer said.

"Ok. When do you usually press it?" He asked the screen.

"Usually, "Reizo began, "We press it right after we launch. For short trips, like one to five hours, we don't. It's easier to wake up from sleep than get out of stasis. So it's not recommended for travel in the same galaxy."

Goku nodded through the entire explanation, trying to ignore the sudden rumbling of his stomach. _It feels like my digestive system is trying to eat itself!_ Instead, he asked, "What's this device on the side?" He pulled the palm sized remote from its case and showed it to the screen.

"Ah!" Lantern began, coughing into his fist, "That is the remote control to your pod. When you descend and depart from your pod, you are to take that along. The topmost button summons the pod, but I would suggest you clear away from the area as it tends to cause massive craters. The button under that one is designed for Saiyans, recreating Blutz waves for their ape transformations. However, you will not need that button. The button all the way at the bottom causes the Pod to self destruct when pressed and it will destroy nearly everything in a ten meter radius." He kept his explanation relatively short, both aware of Goku's mental state as well as the short patience of his team mates.

Goku turned the remote in his hands, weighing it. It was light and could fit under his armor. He placed it back into its slot. "What are these other screens for?"

"The screen to your bottom right monitors your vital functions." Reizo began, pointing a finger on the screen in the general direction.

Goku's eyes followed it and what the red skinned alien said was true as there was a line that measured his heartbeat. There were several other graphs, and on closer inspection, he realized they read different caloric and vitamin intake levels.

"The screen right under this one," Reizo's finger moved forty five degrees to the left, "is used to access details and logs. You simply enter your pin and your assignments will come up. And the last screen to your bottom left, "the finger moved again, "is the tracker. You should have a Celestial Map on screen right now."

The screen was a dark green with several lighter green lines and circles. There were several small blips, six of them. _That's us. That's our pods I take it._

His realization must have shown on his face because Reizo grinned, "Yep. That's us right now. After stasis, you'll wake up usually an hour before entrance into the atmosphere."

Goku nodded, understanding it all. There was a pregnant pause and Goku had to inhale a large breath of air to try and calm his nerves. He knew vaguely what was coming, but he shut his eyes tightly, trying to will it away.

"The mission details…" Paar began and his voice lowered somberly, "We are going to planet Vesu. The objective is a Clean Bleach."

Everyone on the screen nodded, though Goku didn't see.

"The inhabitants are Vesujins. Check your Log Screen for images."

Goku opened his eyes, looking at the screen below the window. It was no longer off and there was an image of a white colored, furry humanoid creature. It was fully clothed and carried something that looked similar to a staff. So these weren't just animals…they were a civilization.

Dread started settling itself into Goku's stomach.

"The average power level of a Vesujin is fifty, so expect no resistance." Paar continued, and Goku couldn't take it anymore.

"What does Clean Bleach mean?" He interrupted Paar, who looked momentarily annoyed but then his expression changed to reluctant remorse.

"It means we wipe them all out." Solzt said over Paar, who had opened his mouth to explain.

Goku's body seized, and his eyes snapped wide open. _What? No! _"I…I thought we just…just had to make them surrender."

"It's not that simple newcomer." Solzt said, narrowing his eyes but otherwise not looking away from Goku's glare. "When we have off ship operations, they usually come as either 'Bleach' or 'Clean Bleach' objectives. " He paused momentarily, to let the words sink into Goku. Then he continued, "Bleach means that our objective is to wipe everyone on the planet out-"

"No! I can't do that!" Goku cried out and surged forward, placing his hands against the interior of the pod.

"Shut up." Solzt shouted, and Goku winced. "That shit's not as simple. _Clean_ Bleach means that the planet will be sold and has to be kept immaculate. Vesu is a class S planet, which means it's inhabitable and therefore, valuable to Lord Frieza. Our job is to kill everyone without damaging the planet, do you understand?"

"I understand you're asking me to be a murderer!" Goku hissed, narrowing his eyes. The inside of the pod was heating up again and Goku strained to keep his anger under control.

"You have no fucking right you piece of shit!" Solzt yelled over the screen, then took a breath and leaned back, "Those are our order. Out." His area of the screen flashed out and he was gone, leaving a blank space.

Goku looked down, "I can't do that. I can't kill anyone." His stomach grumbled and he scowled at himself. _How could I think of food at a time like this!_ Horror was starting to paralyze his limbs.

"You don't have a choice," Letifer said sadly, "no one does. And Solzt is right, those are our orders."

Goku shot a panicked glance at Paar, sweat trickling down the back of his neck. His couldn't feel his spine anymore. _Tell me it's not true._ He begged with his eyes, but Paar didn't look away. Nor did he say what Goku desperately wanted him to; that they _weren't_ going to kill anyone.

"That's it everyone. Any questions?" Paar's gruff voice interrupted the silence. There was a chorus of 'no's' from everyone but Goku, who had ceased to hear anything. Paar took one last look at Goku and sighed, "All right everyone. See you in two weeks and three days. Out." His screen turned off as well, followed by all the others except for Reizo.

His golden eyes were glued to Goku's horrified face and he opened his mouth to say something but thought better and closed it again. Then he looked away and Goku's screen turned off, leaving him alone.

_No. This can't be happening. This __**cannot**__ be happening! _He was screaming in his own head, Solzt's words bouncing inside his skull.

"_Wipe them out. Wipe them all out. No resistance."_ The words repeated over and over in his head.

Goku raised his hands, only to realize they were shaking so hard one could mistake it for waving. This was all a bad dream. It had to be. He couldn't kill anyone!

He clicked the buttons below the log screen, punching in the name of Planet Vesu. Images popped up. Images of children, of women and men. Their rituals, their customs and their language. They were a diplomatic people, they valued negotiation. They had cities and villages and families and,_ and…_

"NO!" He screamed in the pod, clutching his head. "No, I can't do this! I'm not a murderer!" Again, the future flashed through his head. His entire _life_ flashed in front of his face.

_Can I kill them?_

Goku looked up, trying to find the source of the voice that had asked that question. He extended his senses, finding no one nearby. Suddenly, his entire body spasmed. There _was_ no voice. No one had asked that question.

With settling horror, he realized that the voice had been _his._ _He_ had asked himself that. Anxiety churned in his chest like a barely contained maelstrom. No, no. He _couldn't_ have thought that. He couldn't kill anyone, not for his future or anyone.

The storm of feelings was too much to handle. _I'll deal with this when I get there,_ he thought. That's right, when he arrived, he would be calmer and he would definitely handle the situation with more grace. Not the sheer, unadulterated panic that was coursing through him right now.

He flicked open the glass dome covering the stasis button. With a trembling hand, he tried to press the button, missing the first two times. Then finally, he managed to fix his aim and his thumb sunk onto the button.

"Initiating Stasis. Have a nice sleep." The robotic voice invaded his head and then disappeared. There was the sound of gas being released and instantly, Goku felt drowsy. His hands dropped to his side and his head flopped against the back of the pod. With lidded eyes, he watched the stars fly by through his window, the space tinted red.

_I can't kill anyone innocent. Not for my future, not for __**anything.**___The sensation of tiredness was stronger, sleep a seductive pull on his body and mind. Just before he slipped into stasis, a single through passed through his head;

_Can I?_


	6. Ashes On the Wind, Blood On The Ground

"Entering Atmosphere in One Hour."

The robotic voice was an annoying buzz in Goku's ear, stirring him into wakefulness. Slowly, consciousness dawned on him and desperately, without intending to, he grasped at the last vestiges of blissful darkness. But it slipped through his fingers and reluctantly, he opened his eyes. He tried to move, but his body was sluggish and wouldn't respond to simple commands.

His eyes darted around his environment and Goku felt the stirrings of panic being to invade his being. Where was he? What was this place? A part of his vision was orange, what was happening? He remembered the scouter sitting on his ear. Then a few moments later he recognized the pod's interior and he was calm again. He took a deep breath and waited for a few minutes, and slowly his body began to respond. First his facial muscles began to relax and his neck didn't feel so stiff. Then his fingers began to twitch and move and the muscles of his thighs began to flex and un-flex. He sighed, uncrossing his arms and curled his fingers into fists.

Gloved. He shook his head once to clear his mind. Everything was still so foggy and his mind was such a muddled mess. He remembered, he remembered a mission. He remembered Planet Vesu.

_Clean Bleach_.

He remembered everything. With a start, he looked up and tried to lean forward and gaze out of the small window. His body protested, bones creaking from not having moved for so long. He looked out into the darkness, barely able to see the small spots of light in the distance.

_Stars? I've really been in stasis for half a month?_ _It's so hard to move._

He sat back and looked at the tracking screen. Six blips, but the stellar map was totally different. They really _had_ traveled for over two weeks. Suddenly there was a loud growl and Goku crouched, groaning in pain. That's right, he hadn't eaten at all…not even before they left and his stomach was protesting loudly.

Suddenly, the Contact Screen flickered on and Paar's orange scaled face came into view. The alien yawned, revealing fanged teeth and a forked tongue. "I see you're awake, Oroitz." Paar yawned again, "How do you feel? It's always a struggle to get out of Stasis."

Rubbing a hand against his forehead, Goku groaned, "Feels like I haven't moved in years."

"Yeah, tends to feel that way. We'll be entering the atmosphere in ten minutes. It'll feel like a quake, so don't panic." Paar's gruff voice grated on Goku's ears and he winced lightly.

"The…the mission." Goku started, lowering his voice to almost a whisper.

Paar looked sober suddenly. His blue eyes locked onto Goku's black ones. "We'll talk about that once we land. Out." His face disappeared from the screen and there was a moment of static before it turned completely black once again.

_This isn't good._ What was he going to do once he landed on Vesu? Damnit, he wasn't good at thinking ahead during times like these!

_Now that I think of it, I've always __**reacted**_**, **_never predicted or planned…_ It was true. He always had gone with the flow. Thinking things through had never really been his strong point and now, it came back to bite him in the ass.

"Entering Planet Vesu's Atmosphere in ten seconds." Damn it, that robotic voice kept startling him. He just couldn't get used to it.

_Ten seconds. Less now._

"Five, four, three, two, one. Entering atmosphere."

Just like Paar had foretold, the entire pod shook like it was breaking apart and Goku had to brace himself against the walls. His band around his pony tail was putting painful pressure on his scalp every time the pod shook.

_Why didn't I just let them cut my hair?_ He thought frantically, placing a hand between the ceiling and his head.

The pod stopped shaking but his body felt heavier and he realized his speed was increasing, propelling towards the ground. Goku sat back, bracing himself with his arms and legs for the impact.

"Reaching Ground in Five…"

Goku stared through the window. It was no longer the blackness of space. Instead it was now the blue sky that reminded him of Earth.

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One. Prepare for impact." Goku closed his eyes.

The slam against the ground was surprisingly gentle compared to going through the atmosphere. There was a loud bang that reverberated through Goku's skull like a bell, but the pod shook relatively little. A few minutes passed, and Goku's eyes opened to see the door opening.

Hesitantly, he stepped out, aware of his body's protests. He stumbled, almost falling against the floor and had to lean against the pod for support. Groaning, he placed a gloved hand on his rumbling stomach, cursing his lack of insight. Why didn't he eat before he came? The grumbling ceased and Goku let go of the pod, sure he could stand on his feet without falling. He straightened his back, hearing pops and creaks that signaled lack of use. The communicator in his boot was also cutting into his skin so he bent down to adjust it to a more comfortable position.

_Whoa! It's a crater!_ He suddenly realized. Looking around him, he could see his pod's impact had created a massive hole in the ground with him at the center with his pod.

"Oh!" He exclaimed, leaning down to grab the small remote sitting on the wall. Tucking it inside his armor, he flew to the top of the crater and saw the small figures of his squad mates in the close distance. He sped off towards them and was relieved to find that though he hadn't moved in two and a half weeks, it took him no time at all to readjust to his body and surroundings. After a few seconds, he seemed to be in full control of his body and flying just fine. He reached the group and they were already waiting for him.

Reizo grinned at him, pointing at the top of Goku's head, "Haha! What happened to your hair? You look like a mess!"

Goku grinned sheepishly and rubbed his hair, then realizing he was just making it worse, brought his hand back down. "I was not prepared for the atmosphere."

"We can tell!" Letifer grinned. He turned to everyone, "How are we feeling?"

"Fine, as far as I can tell." Lantern spoke, flexing his neck and throwing a few punches in the air.

Solzt was stretching while Paar and Reizo threw a few mock kicks at each other to test their reflexes. Deeming everyone normal and well, Paar directed them to the ground. Once they landed, Goku took the chance to examine the planet.

To Goku, it looked almost exactly like Earth save for minor differences. The sky was blue and the sun was yellow in the distance. It was actually warmer on Vesu than Earth and his armor felt a little stifling. He knelt, touched the grass and was amazed at how familiar it felt in his fingers. It was almost Earth, except it smelled different. The scent of the grass and the trees, even the wind was different. He couldn't place it, it just…was.

"We have five days to finish our objective. We should face no resistance, but there are quite a lot of them." Paar said, clicking on his scouter. "I've logged us in with the mainframe-"

"Wait!" Goku left the grass and strode to his orange comrade. The dread that he had felt so keenly before stasis slammed into him at full force and he desperately pleaded with Paar, "Please, there's _got_ to be another way!"

"You! Again with this shit!" A hand grabbed Goku's wrist and forcefully shoved him to the side. Solzt grabbed Goku's armor, "What part of being Lord Frieza's soldier do you not understand? Why the fuck did you sign on? What did you think we were going to do here, dress in feathers and dance under the moonlight?"

"No! I know, but…" Goku started, pushing Solzt's hands away and coming to stand on his feet, "But I can't let you do this!" He gestured to the world around them, "There are innocent people! You can't hurt them!" Looking around, he desperately searched for _something_ in their faces but his heart fell into his stomach at the sight. They stared at him, even Reizo, with the eyes of broken men forced to do terrible things.

"What do you suggest we do?" Letifer asked quietly, pushing Solzt aside to stand before Goku. "You saw what Lord Frieza did to Planet Vegeta. You saw what he did to all those Saiyans. There is only one hope of survival for us, and this is it." He stepped away and sighed, turning to the others who were staring at Goku. He pressed a button on his scouter and looked towards the north, "My scouter is picking up life over that way."

The others looked at Letifer and checked their own Scouters to confirm it.

Reizo nodded, "Let's go. Five days."

They nodded and took off towards the horizon. Goku sped off after them, "Wait! No!" _Damn it I have to stop them! I'm scared._ No, that was wrong. He was terrified, but he continued after them. Trepidation was quickly overtaking him and he realized his energy levels were fluctuating. He concentrated on his squad mates, trying to sense their energy. It was unnaturally calm, a complete opposite of his feelings. He was trying to keep himself under control and they were just completely ok?

A small group of white dots appeared in the distance. Buildings? Yes, he could sense life over there even without the help of Scouters. He raised his power, speeding ahead of his squad to stand before them, "Please!" He begged, spreading his arms, "Don't do this!"

"Out of our way!" Solzt yelled, pushing him aside as they passed by him.

_NO! They can't do this! I can't let them!_ Goku thought quickly, ignoring the pain of his stomach as it reminded him that he needed food. _But…my future_! He thought again and suddenly, the pressure of the communicator against his ankle increased as if making a point. He stopped midair and watched them speed off towards the village.

What was he supposed to do? _I have to stop them right? _That was the just course of action. There was no doubt about it. _This communicator…its technology from almost two hundred years in the future._ He had forgotten about that fact for a moment. There was the chance that he _couldn't_ fix it no matter how much he tried anyways.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air and Goku snapped out of his thoughts. In the distance, he could see the telltale glow of ki blasts and even more screams rung through the air. He wasted no time and blasted through the air towards the squad. In the pit of his stomach, he knew what was happening. There was the scent of blood in the air and it pushed him faster until finally, he hovered above the village.

Bodies littered the floor, immaculate green grass stained red and the white fur of the inhabitants already dyed scarlet with blood. He shot down when he saw Reizo aiming a blast at what looked like a family of Vesujin. Grabbing the alien's hand, he forced it down to the floor and the result blasted them to the floor but left the Vesujin unharmed.

Reizo pushed him off, snarling angrily, "What is wrong with you Oroitz?" He knelt down, his face inches from Goku's, "What do you think you're doing?"

Goku rubbed his head, standing up and grabbed Reizo's arms, "You can't do this! They're innocent people! They've done _nothing_ to you!"

Reizo wrenched away from his grip, golden eyes blazing and there was a blur through the air and Goku felt a fist slam into his stomach, making him double over. "I never did anything to Frieza! My _people_ never did anything to Frieza! But that didn't stop him! I'm _surviving! What else am I supposed to do?"_

Goku looked away, _what am I supposed to tell him?_ It was true. He couldn't tell him to stand up; he would never stand a chance. But…he couldn't let anyone just _die_ like that. Metal bit into his ankle. Omega Shenron's face flashed in front of him. The death of all his friends and family bombarded his thoughts and he felt his hands drop to his sides listlessly.

Reizo stood before him a few more seconds in silence. He waited and Goku said nothing. Then with a gust of wind, Reizo was gone and the scent of burning flesh hit Goku's nose again and he felt his throat clog up. His stomach gurgled, and he dropped to his knees and slammed his hands against the ground.

Another scream sounded through his head and vainly, he covered his ears with his palms to try to drown the sound out. _No!_ He thought weakly, pressing his face against the grass. He tried to smell it, to comfort himself with the familiar scent of the grass he so missed but it was pointless. Nothing could drown the smell of scorched fur. He could smell terror in the air, fear and desperation so strong that it was almost palpable. Desperation was a discernible fragrance in the air.

There was a shrill cry and he looked up in time to see one of the creatures leap into the air, mouth open and eyes wide in terror. A blast caught him in the back and he fell to the floor, crawling until he had no more strength left. Another fell behind him, a fist tearing through his chest and still he struggled stubbornly. He pulled and punched at the air, mouth working in an effort to say something, _anything_ that would dispel the nightmare but only blood poured out. Eventually, he too fell upon his friend. It could have been his brother, his father. One of the Vesujins rushed forward, grabbing Reizo by the leg and his face caved in when the red skinned man smashed a face into his nose. Blood spurted from his ears and the Vesujin fell, nose and jaw disfigured beyond recognition.

Stone blew apart in the distance and the flying shards impale several of them. They were running away, but their short legs couldn't carry them far. One desperately throws himself to the floor and Goku could see he no longer has an arm. The stump bleeds as the Vesujin drags it across the floor. He is crawling towards something, his food arm reaching towards the distance, where another Vesujin lies. He croaks pathetically, vomiting blood and bile. He never reaches his friend and a well placed foot crushes his head across the floor in a bloody painting. There is a wail and one is dragged away from the floor by his fur, his nails tearing and breaking against the floor he's trying so hard to scrabble against. But he finds no purchase and he is drawn upwards only for the flesh on his face to melt away under the heat of an energy ball.

The shrieking doesn't stop even though his face is no longer there. A mass of disfigured skin cracks its jaw open and a banshee like screech pours itself out and is quickly silenced. Goku can hear the bone breaking as if he were doing it himself. Not too far from him is another Vesujin, a female. She is crying fraught and frantic against the body of a smaller Vesujin. She buries her small stubby fingers into his blood matted fur and cried. She is not alone for long and there is a white glove against her neck and it squeezes until her cries die out and she falls limp.

In a matter of minutes the entire village is devastated. Their bodies are strewn across the grass like red and white flowers and all is still.

Then there was silence. One minute passed and another and another until he wasn't sure how long he'd laid there in the grass. A sob shakes his body and Goku can taste blood in his mouth from where he'd bitten his lip. Tears are streaming down his face and drip onto his gloved hands and he looks down at them, distraught by the sight of blood smeared across them. A moment later, they are clean and he gasps for breath he didn't know he needed. His hands were clean; the gloves unstained save for the green of the grass he had gripped in an effort to steady himself.

White boots stained with blood appear in his vision, blurred against the background of death. They are the boots of his comrades.

_NO! _He protested, _No! They aren't my comrades! They aren't my friends! They're __**murderers.**__They killed these people! _

"All…all these innocent people…" Goku's voice was choked, barely held in check and he felt it crack under the weight of his sorrow. What had he _done_? He has committed a crime worse than any death wrought here, he had _allowed_ it to happen. He had the power to stop it and he had lain there against the grass as if he were a helpless child. He was worse than these men, these soldiers who merely tried to survive.

Lantern's voice cut through his thoughts, "We are going ahead. Come find us when you collect yourself."

The boots were gone from his vision and he was alone, their energies getting further and further away.

He couldn't stay here, Goku thought frantically. But he looked up, _forced_ himself to look up and see what he had permitted to occur. Weakly, with shaking arms and legs, he crawled towards the bodies of the mother and child clutching each other in death. He grasped their white fur, stroking it even though it smeared blood and dirt across their already defiled bodies. Pulling the child to him, Goku buried his face against him and sobbed.

_It wasn't my hands that dealt you your fate, but it might as well have been._ The thought seared across his body like physical pain and wrenched a cry that sounded as empty and desperate as he felt. He didn't know how long had passed since he had lain there with that mother and child, hands and face pressed against the dirty fur. Eventually, there were no more tears he could squeeze out and his throat felt hoarse and raw.

The ground under him felt like it was made of jelly and Goku couldn't stand properly. He leaned against a tree and his chest heaved and he coughed, but nothing came out. Everything was swaying like a bad dream and he was suddenly glad he hadn't eaten anything because his stomach was trying to crawl its way up his throat.

When Goku was sure he could stand up without losing his balance, he breathed deeply and looked towards the villagers. The sun was already setting. Had it been that long already? What could he do? He didn't want to just leave them like that.

_They cremate their dead, to help their body ascend with their soul._ The fact suddenly crossed Goku's mind and he looked at his palms as he remembered the details of what he had read on the logs. He knew what he could do, it was the _least_ he could do. He faced the fallen Vesujin and powered up a ball of energy in his hand, aiming it at the bodies. When it connected, the white fur instantly burned and in a matter of minutes, there were only ashes on the wind.

_So that's what the wind smells like…._It was ashes. The ashes of the fallen. Goku looked at the others and powered up again. One by one, he cremated the bodies and let their ashes be taken away by the wind. A little less than an hour and he was done, only bits of fur and blood remaining as a reminder of the horrible events that had transpired.

There was a Ki spike in the distance and Goku jerked, his body instinctively starting to power up to make his way there. He would try again. Just as he was about to jump into the air, he felt the painful sting of metal cutting into his skin.

_The Communicator._ He picked the device out of his boot.

He looked back at the stains, then back at the gadget.

_They gave their lives for this._ _They died so I can fix this and get back._ _They died so I can avenge them twenty years later._ He realized he was almost about to crack the communicator and hastily, he placed it back into his boot.

_I can't go to them._ The thought of witnessing a similar scene made his skin crawl. Their Ki was to the North but there were lives to the South. Goku decided, he would head there and warn the Vesujin. Maybe there was a way for them to leave. It was a chance, better than nothing.

_Better than letting them just die!_

The air blasted around his body and Goku took off towards the south. He could feel their energy; small and happy, unaware of what was happening on the other side of their planet. For a moment, he was envious, they had an excuse. They had no power, no means of defense. What could they do against the power of Frieza's tyranny? Yet, here he was, a full blooded and powerful Saiyan and he could do nothing. Yes, he had power. Yes he could kill Frieza in an instant, but the future hinged on him. The Future, ironically, hinged on Frieza.

The scenery around him passed like a blur, a whirlwind of colors and shapes. He was flying almost at full speed. The village wasn't far, he could feel their energy getting closer and closer.

His stomach growled. The ache spread across his abdomen and he felt like it was eating him from the inside out.

Anger boiled inside of him. Why was he so hungry at a time like this? _I can wait._ Food wasn't important right now. Night was falling quickly, twilight already settling over the land like a blanket. The sky was no longer the oranges and purples of sunset. It was steadily turning a darker blue and he could already see stars. There was no time and he could barely make out dark gray splotches against a dark greenish blue background. It was the village, tucked in a beautiful valley between two large mountains. He relished the smell of clean grass and deathless wind.

He landed on a cliff overlooking the village. There was no one outside and the windows were dark. Their energy was calm and he could tell they were sleeping. He jumped down silently and winced as the landing aggravated the pain in his stomach. Damnit! Why were there no animals on this planet?

He looked longingly at the ground for the Vesujins were vegetarians, surviving on grass and leaves of the trees that grew around them. That meant that there was nothing for him to eat. His stomach rumbled loudly again as if it had a mind of its own. For a moment, the hunger almost overwhelmed him and Goku dropped to his knees in pain. Clutching his abdomen, he hissed into the grass and tried to take deep breaths. Why was he this hungry? How long had it been since he had arrived to the past? A week? And yet he had eaten less than he had in years.

But he could waste no time! Goku thought of the mother and child in the first village and he pushed aside the blinding pain and stumbled towards the first little cottage. It was a small building as the Vesujin were only waist high. Kneeling, he knocked against the door.

There was a shuffling sound and the door creaked open and round, beady blue eyes stared into his black ones. There was a sound of alarm and the Vesujin rushed back inside, a flurry of noises and panicked gibberish followed. Another Vesujin came to the door, this time with darker gray fur and brown eyes. He stared at Goku intently and raised his arms in a fighting stance.

Goku waited then finally tried to speak, shocked at how hoarse his voice sounded. "Please! You have to run away."

The Vesujin looked confused and turned to his companion, muttering something in a language Goku couldn't understand.

_Wait, can't understand? No! That means, I can't communicate! How do I tell them to run away?_

Somehow the panic on his face must have been enough because a look of fright and apprehension passed over the Vesujin's face. The alien ran to the other houses and one by one, woke up the others. In less than half an hour, over fifty Vesujin had gathered in the darkness. One of them walked forward, older than the others, and raised a fire.

In the dim glow, Goku could see their faces, unsure, confused and sleepy. There were men and women and children as well as elderly, all crowded around the fire and staring intently at the newcomer amongst them.

The Vesujin he had spoken to stepped forward and spoke to the crowd. There was a collective gasp but Goku couldn't understand what was being said. He pressed the button on his scouter but there was no translator option. Damnit.

There was a tug on his glove and he looked down to see the brown eyed Vesujin point at the crowd. Goku nodded and turned to the frightened group, "I know you don't understand what I'm saying. But," He knelt and punched the air in front of one of them, "people are coming to harm you."

They didn't understand, just stared at him confused. A murmur passed over them and they turned to each other, speaking words that made no sense to him. He groaned, frustrated and picked up one of the Vesujin by the vest he wore. The others drew back in fear but it didn't deter Goku. He looked at their frightened faces and swung a fist at the creature held in his hands, stopping short of his frightened face.

"Please!" He pleaded, placing the frightened alien down and he ran into the group. "Please!" Goku said again, pointing at them, "They're coming to kill you!" He pointed at the village he had come from, cursing his lack of foresight. _Damnit, I should have brought a piece of clothing or something! Anything to make them understand!_

Something must have registered, probably in his voice because comprehension dawned on their faces. Suddenly, the sleepy buzz gave way to full panic and they were scrabbling back to their homes. They emerged again, only the males and they held crude sticks in their hands like weapons.

_No!_ Goku thought, _what are they doing, that'll never work! They need to run away!_

But where?_ They're going to be killed anyway._ A dark voice whispered. Goku shook his head, clearing the offending thought away but the sentiment remained the same. There was truth in that thought, despite how badly he didn't want it.

Where _would_ they go? Their world was obviously not technologically advanced so of course they would have no method of space travel. He couldn't help them, his instant transmission was useless. There was no energy signature he was familiar with for galaxies around. Even if he _could_ move them across planets, he had no idea what would be a hospitable planet for the Vesujin.

Everything seemed so hopeless. He placed his head in his hands, groaning and crouched on the grass in frustration. The image of a hand tearing through a Vesujin's stomach flashed through his mind and he felt sick. Someone said something and he looked up to see a male Vesujin grin at him, brandishing his stick.

He laughed weakly, realizing the Vesujin was trying to comfort him with bravado. The look in the alien's eyes told Goku he truly believed they would triumph. That his love for his family and world would be enough to save them from annihilation.

_How often have I thought of the same thing?_ Those were the same thoughts that had always motivated Goku. He had always fallen back on justice and what was right as the drive behind his actions. He had his family, Gohan, Goten and Chichi.

_I thought that my love and desire to protect them would be enough, but I had the fortune of being a Saiyan._ He thought of Yamcha's scarred face and Krillin's spotted forehead. They had been with him yes, and they had helped save the galaxy but this was something he'd known all along and simply ignored because he _could._

Krillin, Yamcha, Tien and the others were weak. He hated to think of it that way, but it was true. Could Goku honestly argue that Bulma or Tien had less desire than him to protect their family and world? No, he couldn't. What they didn't have was extraterrestrial strength that gave them the ability to defend those they loved.

_I have always taken great pride in my skills and heritage. But I have never realized that I always took my strength for granted. I always looked at my Saiyan heritage and abilities as something natural. Now, I can see it all too clearly. It's anything __**but**__ natural, it's extraordinary._ He raised himself on his feet, and looked bleakly down at the Vesujin who was still grinning at him, eyes sparkling with confidence and pride.

Goku smiled back weakly. He couldn't take the sight anymore and so he turned towards the cliffs and took off into the air, leaving the villagers behind with their sticks and empty sense of victory. There was a cave in the rock high above the village. It was big enough for a person and Goku crawled into the hole like a rat.

_How fitting_, he thought, taking off his scouter and pulling his knees against his chest. His stomach rumbled again, tearing through him painfully. Biting his lip, Goku ignored it and closed his eyes.

If he concentrated hard enough, he could still smell ashes on the wind.


	7. Blood on His Hands, Peace is Long Gone

First of all, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to my reviewers for sticking with me this far! To the super popular question of: Will Goku ever see Vegeta? The answer is, yes! Yes he will. However, there is still some time before that happens but rest assured, it definitely will!

Anyways, enjoy!

**Also, this Chapter is Rated M for Gruesome Death and Cannibalism!**

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><p>How many days had passed since he had crawled into the hole like a quivering insect? Two? Three? The sun had risen and set but Goku hadn't taken notice, nor did he venture out. The memories still haunted him and he fell in and out of disturbed sleep over the course of his stay. Sometimes, he would see his father's face again, features distorted in fear and agony. Other times, he would see Gohan's and Goten's faces and their smiles. But most of the time, he could smell the blood in the air and could see knotted fur covered in grimy dirt.<p>

Between fitful sleep and nightmarish dreams, he could hear gibberish coming from his scouter. It invaded his dreams, made Goku wonder if those sounds didn't really exist but were coming from inside his head. Somehow, he knew they were trying to find him but his energy was suppressed and weakened from hunger and weariness.

The hunger. The _hunger_.

That was the worst. It tore through his body, both in sleep and waking hours. It crawled up his spine and twisted his stomach until Goku thought he was dying. It was unimaginable and he was sure he had never felt pain quite like this. He had been punched and kicked and blasted into smithereens but it had never seared through his bones like fire, consuming him from the inside out. The pain of a fist in his face never made his vision swim the way hunger did and the sensation of heat from a blast straight to his torso didn't make him question his sanity. None of these things made him scrabble at the dirt beneath him, shoving it in his mouth only to retch it out moments later.

How long did he do these things? Goku couldn't tell anymore.

There was the sound of dripping water in the distance and he crawled towards it, finding a small trickle. He cupped his hands underneath it, collection a small, precious amount and raising it to his lips. It wasn't enough and the small pool in his palms was drained almost instantly. He did it again, lapping up the water from his fingers and wrist. But once more, it wasn't enough and finally Goku placed his mouth at the small opening from where it was pouring from. Every few seconds a small droplet would grace his tongue and he moaned, swallowing it, letting it travel down his parched throat.

Grabbing his scouter, he weakly pulled it over his head, hand slipping a few times. He coughed up specs of dirt he couldn't throw up from before and they grated along the skin of his throat and it felt like they were cutting him to pieces from the inside. Not even the small amount of water he had drunk could soothe the burning sensation.

From the corner of his eye he could see blinding light, and there was sunlight on his face. Goku blinked, wild eyes staring at the opening of the cave. It was too bright and he looked away, pressing his face against the dirt. He inhaled its scent, but it was still the same as before. It smelled of ashes and lost hope and it made him sick to his stomach. The stench became overwhelming and it forced him, finally, to crawl out.

The sun was overwhelmingly intense, beating down on his hollow face. Goku winced and covered his eyes with his hand, falling to his knees under its bright glare. The heat was too much but he didn't have the strength to pull his armor off. The spandex underneath the flexible battle armor stuck to him like a second skin and everything was sticky. Goku struggled against the floor, pulling his gloves off and panting when another searing bolt of agony sliced up his torso and made the world around him a blur of color. He tried to concentrate but another stab of pain made its way up his body and Goku writhed on the floor until darkness overtook him.

Slowly, consciousness bled into Goku. Slowly, colors and shapes came into clear view and he stood up, amazed at how light and free he felt. He looked around, the world strangely familiar. With a start, he realized he was on Earth again! The sky was blue and the clouds were beautifully white against the azure backdrop. Goku shifted his gaze to the distance and was relieved to see the majestic mountains and sprawling acres of trees.

A full smile spread across his face and he jumped into the air, basking in the light of the sun. He was still hungry, but it was bearable now, a distant ache that could do nothing to dampen his spirits! He flew higher, whizzing around the mountains and landed on the soft green grass of his home world. How he had missed this place! How beautiful everything seemed, so much _brighter_ and happier than he'd ever known.

Goku looked down and grinned at the familiar sight of his fingers, free and uncovered. He raised them to the air, letting the sunlight stream through them and onto his face. Laughing, he winced as the heat beat into his skin, making him sweat. Glancing towards the forest, he whizzed through the air, spiraling around the trees like it was all a fun game. He wanted to go see his friends, but for some reason, he decided to do that later. After all, they could wait and Goku wanted to spend a bit more time soaking his home until he could never remove the smell of it from his hair or skin. He wanted to ingrain it into his very _being_.

A rumble of hunger told him it was time to eat. Rubbing his head, he grinned, the previous pain a distant ache of a forgotten dream. With a determined look, he jumped to the ground and sped through the trees on foot. It was time to hunt! His wife's nagging voice passed through his mind, chiding him for hunting when she was probably cooking something equally delicious. But Chichi would forgive him, especially since he would bring some leftovers for the next day, right? He would even invite his friends; maybe they'd have a picnic at the Capsule Corporation! Bulma always had the best chefs make food!

Stopping on a large branch, Goku squinted. He scanned the area, trying to find something through the trees but strangely enough, the cawing of birds seemed to be strangely absent. He looked at the sky again, maybe it was hibernation season. But, did bird hibernate? He shrugged, it didn't matter. Birds weren't what he was aiming for anyways. They would barely fill up a baby's stomach, let alone his! He wanted bigger game, images of dinosaurs and large deer flashed through Goku's head, accompanied by a loud growl from his stomach signaling its agreement.

He jumped into the air, flying over the trees. He didn't really know where he was, now that Goku looked at it. The scenery was unfamiliar to him, but somehow, he knew where to go. Animals like boar or dinosaurs liked clearings, not clumpy forests and dense foliage! Goku was in the completely wrong place for those kinds of game!

Clapping his hand on his forehead, he laughed and rubbed the spikes on his head. He must have hurt on landing because for some reason because every time he pulled on the strands, the back of his head would twinge with pain. Oh well, he'd better not touch it for a while, certain it would heal by itself.

The insistent growls of his stomach snapped Goku out of his thoughts and he brought his hand back down. Instinctively, he smelled the air for something. But for some reason, it felt…_off._ His sense of smell might have been a bit mucked up from the head injury. Though he couldn't smell as well as before, his body intuitively told him where a good clearing would be. Trusting his body and his other sense, Goku followed his instincts.

He was rewarded a few moments later and he saw a herd of animals in a treeless clearing below him. They were small boar, but there were many and Goku's abdomen almost twisted with anticipation. His mouth watered at the thought of delicious meat and succulent boar ribs. Without further ado, he plummeted towards them, almost giggling when they looked up in surprise. He flew over them with a blast and they scattered, shrill keens filling the air.

Raising a hand, he started to create a ball of energy but then thought better. It would probably char the meat and he wanted it juicy and perfect. He landed over a small boar as it was running away. With a flick of his powerful wrists, he grabbed its fur and twisted it to the floor. Its eyes were panicked, a spark of fear lighting their blue depths. It shrieked beneath him, writhing and struggling in Goku's grasp. Another flick, and its neck was broken, body going still as it slumped to the floor in death. That was good; he didn't want to make it suffer.

He grabbed the fur and with skill honed over years of hunter, tore it clean from its body. It was a perfect skinning job and Goku grinned. Sometimes, even _he_ amazed himself! Vegeta couldn't have had a better kill if he'd tried! Maybe he'd invite the prince on a hunt one day, provided they didn't end up throwing angry blows at one another partway.

But whatever he was thinking about Vegeta vanished at the sight of red, _delicious_ meat. It was raw and yet it looked so amazing and delectable! He ran his bare hands over it, almost digging in before he remembered how much better it would taste cooked.

Just as he was about to get a fire started on the grass nearby (he could control it of course, no need to have it burn down the entire forest!), he felt a prick on his back.

Turning from his kill, Goku saw a smaller boar glaring at him. Its fur was raised and its blue eyes were sparking angrily though there was an undertone of fear. A moment later, it rushed at him and slammed into Goku's body with all the force it could muster.

It was in vain for Goku felt little more than if he'd accidentally bumped into another person. He grinned, there was another one! That was also good because the one under his hands was too small to feed him properly. With a jump, he grabbed the smaller creature and broke its neck as well. To his surprise though, the other boar were no longer running away.

They formed a circle around him, multi colored sets of eyes packed with rage. All at once, they rushed at him and their cries filled the air as they charged relentlessly.

Goku jumped up and effortlessly evaded their attack. He looked down at them, counting. It was a good amount, and his stomach grumbled at the feast that lay before him. Killing them all by hand would be too much though and he was _starving!_

_A bit of burnt meat never hurt anyone!_ He thought and raised a hand, gathering power at one finger.

The boars exchanged looks of confusion at their flying opponent but otherwise didn't run away.

Goku had to admit, that was strange behavior for animals. Almost as if they cared. Usually, when he hunted, they ran and rarely defended one another. Well, Earth _was_ abundant in strange animals so it didn't matter too much. He aimed his finger at one of the larger ones and shot a beam through its head. It dropped almost instantly to the floor, life gone in a matter of seconds.

The other boar began to clear the area, aware of the fact that they were hopelessly outmatched but Goku knew this game. He flew after them, gathering power in his fingers once again. This time though, he released all of them at once and the pierced all the fleeing animals. Goku surveyed his work. The clearing was absolutely littered with small game now, and he jumped back down to the ground.

Some were still moving, eyes dull with pain and mouths opening and closing like they were saying something.

_I'm sorry guys,_ Goku thought, snuffing each one of them out, _I'm really hungry! _He took care to kill each one as painlessly as possible, silently thanking them. Over the course of a few minutes, their energies were extinguished and they lay motionless against the grass.

Goku's stomach grumbled loudly and small bursts of pain were starting to shoot up his limbs. Strange, he hadn't been that hungry had it? He lit the fire he had tried to before and this time there were no interruptions. Dragging the first boar he'd skinned, he stripped the meaty bits from its bone and lay them above the fire with sticks he collected from the ground.

While the first bits roasted, he grabbed several others and skinned them as well, throwing the fur into a pile to the side. Eventually, there was a stack of skinned boars and the meat was almost done. Its aroma filled the air and Goku inhaled in hungrily.

For some reason though, it smelled a bit strange. Like it was somehow familiar but he didn't think too much on it. It was boar; he'd had tons of it before. Of course it would smell familiar! Pushing aside the strange feeling, he dug into the meat.

The first bite was almost chaste, a small press of meat against his lips. Goku opened his mouth, letting the dark red flesh sizzle against his tongue. It was hot, but not too hot and he savored the taste.

_Mmmm._ It was absolutely delicious! Better than anything he had ever tasted before! Wow, he _had_ to bring this to Chichi! Without preamble, he grabbed another piece.

The second bite wasn't nearly as small and Goku pushed it into his mouth with more force than he intended. He swallowed it and for some strange reason, he didn't feel any fuller at all. More then? Grabbing the third piece of meat he'd laid out, Goku nearly shoved it into his mouth, stick and all. He chewed only as much as he needed so he wouldn't choke and almost surprised himself with the vehemence with which he swallowed.

_I'm hungrier than I thought!_ The second boar now. He stripped the meat as well, placing it over the fire. A few minutes passed and he stared at the sizzling flesh but his stomach was insistent. It pressed him and Goku grabbed the meat, almost burning his hand in the process.

The pain didn't register so he paid it no mind. He would probably feel it later and he would deal with it then. Right now, his stomach needed food. He pressed the meat into his mouth, not at all disgusted by the taste of blood that flowed down his throat.

If he ever looked back, it would have struck him as strange that the taste of blood hadn't been revolting.

The meat was already gone and Goku glanced at the pile of boars to the side. He looked at the fire but he didn't have the patience. He needed food now. It was consuming him and he stared at the skinned creature with an urgency he didn't know he possessed. He pulled it from the stack and dug his hands into the muscle, tearing and pulling and shoving it into his mouth like he'd never eaten before.

It still wasn't enough. The boar was too small, it didn't have enough meat. He crawled to the stack on his hands and knees and buried his hands into them. He pulled and tore and when that took too long, he shoved his face into their meat, biting and gnawing on whatever he could.

What was wrong with him? Why was he so hungry? And he didn't know why, but the ache in his stomach was getting stronger with each bite he took. Like he was eating, but he was getting _hungrier._ Was that even possible?

There was a strange stench in the air but the smell of blood overwhelmed it and Goku dug into his kills like a starved animal. He had eaten so much, but he wasn't thirsty. Instead, he licked the blood trailing down his fingers and wrist. He sucked the red juice off his flesh and it sated his thirst.

But the hunger wasn't gone. No, it was just as violent as before, raging in his stomach like a brutal storm. Without another thought, he delved his face against another boar. He didn't even know how many he'd eaten. He clamped his teeth down, brutally tearing the muscle from the bone, eating it raw and letting its taste satisfy his appetite. His body was hot and there was sweat running down every muscle and piece of open skin. It was stifling, as if he were burning under hot sun.

But when he cared to look up from his food, Goku realized it was already sunset. The sun had dipped almost past the horizon, bathing the blue sky in shades of blood red and orange. He licked his lips. Earth was so beautiful and his hunger was starting to wane. He glanced at the boars, realizing that he had already eaten the last one. There were bits and strips of meat and bone littering the area around him. The fire he had started so long ago was already gone and only the burnt circle told anyone that it had even been there to begin with.

Goku yawned and stretched. His stomach was full and his thirst was sated. He felt good; better than he had in _ages_. He moved away from where he was sitting, coming over a cleaner area of grass. He lay down and watched the sun disappear along with the beautiful shades of orange and red. Almost languorously, the darkness of night started to cover the sky and there were stars that shone brightly against the blackness.

He raised his hands over his head. They were darker, still covered in blood and he brought them to his face, idly licking some of the rivulets that were traveling down his arms. The scent was back in the air and it made him feel strange. A little uncomfortable and his head felt weird, like he was lying on a rock or something.

But those things didn't matter. Nothing mattered, it was all chased away in the wake of his full stomach; a relief that he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

Closing his eyes, Goku thought of his friends before he went into a dreamless sleep. Perhaps he'd invite them out for hunting tomorrow.

* * *

><p>The sun beat on Goku's face and the Saiyan groaned, shifting in his sleep. His body was aching slightly and his mouth tasted strange. Dazed, he opened his eyes to see the blue sky and realized it was probably already noon. He'd slept late and Chichi would be absolutely <em>pissed<em>!

_The air still smells strange._ It was a strange thought, especially to wake up to and it roused Goku almost completely from his slumber. The last vestiges of blissful sleep were already forgotten as he raised himself on his elbows.

_No. What is this?_

The sight that greeted Goku was not from his dreams. The bodies that lay before him were not of delicious boar. He was surrounded by creatures but they were _not_ the game he hunted yesterday. He wasn't on Earth, he was on Vesu.

And the bodies that littered the clearing were almost unrecognizable save for small tufts of fur and bone strewn around.

Eyes wide with panic, he looked around himself. There were Vesujin all around him, dead and _skinned_. They had little to no meat on their bones and each and every one of their faces was contorted in horrible, horrible agony. Why were they dead? Who killed them? Where was there…

There was the telltale circle of fire he started back on Earth.

_No._

Nausea hit Goku with the force of 5000 times gravity.

Fear slithered down Goku's spine like a snake. His tongue stopped working against the roof of his mouth and the taste of delicious boar meat which he had savored suddenly turned sour, as if he'd eaten a rotting fruit.

With a start, he realized he was shaking, mouth slack and heart thudding against his chest so hard he thought it would burst.

_This is a dream._ He thought desperately, feeling the grass between his fingers. Wait, feeling the grass?

_No…_ He thought again, and slowly raised his hands to look at them.

Blood. Blood all over his hands, all over his _bare_ hands. The peach of his hands were stained crimson and small, dried tails wrapped around his arms like ribbons.

This was a sick, sick dream. It _had_ to be. His eyes darted towards the Vesujin closest to him. Its eyes were wide open and _blue._ Blue like the boar he had killed on Earth. Its meat was gone, fur torn from its body and thrown haphazardly into a sloppy pile in the distance. They littered the clearing and the _sticks_ they had created a makeshift weapons lay across the floor, bits of fur and blood covering them. Bones were _everywhere _and the memory of delicious flesh suddenly thundered through Goku's head.

He knew what he had done. Even without his realization, the evidence lay around him in the bodies of many, many dead Vesujin. Suddenly, everything made sense; the lack of birds, the strange smell in the air and the bump on his head that was actually his ponytail…It was proof. It lay in the twisted expressions of agony and the…the…

_There are __**children**__ here._ Goku thought and a cracked, broken sound came from him.

He felt sick. No, it was worse. There was no word for what he was experiencing. His stomach lurched and he turned onto his hands and feet, retching onto the floor beneath him. Whatever doubt he had vanished as his stomach's contents came into view.

_Blood_ and pieces of meat all appeared in little coagulated chunks. He heaved again and this time there was fur that had once been white but now it was darkened from blood and flesh. His chest felt like it was breaking and Goku couldn't _breathe,_ and everything was spinning madly around him as he emptied his stomach over and over and over again until there was nothing but yellow bile.

He continued, even when nothing would come out. He continued until all he could taste were his own tears that were streaming down his face. Goku's vision was blurry, but he could see his _bare_ hands covered in blood and fur of innocent people.

He sat back on his knees, his stomach empty and his soul hollow. He raised his trembling hands again, staring at those blood soaked fingers. What had he _done?_

_I am a monster._

Someone was screaming. The air around him was hot and boiling. There was rising energy and his vision was quickly going red. The screaming was getting louder, no longer just a buzz in his ears. Instead, it vibrated through his entire body and Goku vaguely realized it was _his_ voice echoing through the valley. It was _his_ energy that was rapidly rising, uncontrollable and violent. Fierce, acute rage invaded his being and Goku hated everything at that one moment. But most of all, he hated himself. No, he was _revolted_ at himself.

Frieza was no monster. _He was_ the real monster here. A disgusting creature that couldn't tell the difference between reality and fiction. A simple creature that let _hunger_ override everything else, morals, ideals….judgment. Was he really that weak that everything he stood for was washed away in a fit of biological need?

It was unfair. _Just too cruel._

His energy was rising, higher and higher. His hair was flickering gold as his fury pushed his control. He gripped the ground beneath him, trying someway, _somehow_ to justify himself. That it wasn't his fault, but there was no excuse. It would have been far better to just kill these creatures than to beat them to the floor and _cannibalize_ them like a mindless beast. Better to kill them all at once rather than bury his face into their flesh and rip the meat right off their bones with his teeth.

_I ate them! __**I ate them!**_

"Gr…Graahh!" He screamed into the air, powering up. He couldn't contain it, couldn't contain his rage. He gasped for breath, wanting to somehow get the taste of blood out of his mouth.

Water, in the distance. He could hear it.

Without a single wasted moment, he blasted himself towards it and left the village behind in a fit of golden light. With wild eyes, he saw the water in the distance. A river, perfect. Again, he pushed his Ki higher, uncaring if the others could see it on their Scouters. He needed to get to the water, to wash his sins off. He would skin himself if need be, but he needed to cleanse himself.

He landed on the bank and in the blink of an eye, removed all this clothing and threw his scouter and communicator into the pile. Just as he was about to jump into the water, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his face.

His entire mouth area was a dark red, covered in blood. He choked, breath caught in his throat. He really _had_ buried his face in their bodies. He _had_ defiled them in the _worst_ way possible. Goku wanted to gag again, to vomit his entire stomach out but there was only a dry heave. Not even yellow bile came out. He literally had hollowed his stomach.

Closing his eyes, he jumped into the water, uncaring as the cold bit his skin. He remained underwater, rubbing and scraping his nails down every inch of bloodied skin he could find. Nothing would remain of his…his…he didn't even know what to call the vile act he'd committed.

_Why am I so weak?_ He thought, sobbing into the water. Why had he done such a thing? Why had his hunger overwhelmed him so? How could a man like himself be the savior of the universe if mere_ hunger_ overtook his senses and control?

_I have no right to be a protector. I've failed everyone and everything I've ever stood for in my life._

Rising above the water, he gasped for air. It was starting to freeze around his body, and for a somber, serious moment, Goku honestly considered dying in the cold. But he knew he couldn't. For some reason he didn't know, every single fiber of his being protested against suicide even in the face of the tragedy he'd caused. Giving in, he dragged himself out of the freezing cold river and sat on the bank.

_The five days are almost over;_ he realized and glanced over at his scouter, mouth set in a grim line. The communicator lay beside it and almost glared at him accusatorily.

How long could he stay like this anyways? The others were bound to start looking for him soon, they wouldn't leave him here with a state of the art pod would they?

"Oroitz! Come in Oroitz! Where are you?" The scouter buzzed, vibrating against the communicator. Goku laughed a hollow sound from his chest and picked it up, pressing it against his ear. A finger pressed the red button and he spoke, voice and throat hoarse from screaming, "I'm here."

"Finally! God damnit you piece of shit do you know how long we've been trying to contact you?" Reizo's frantic voice almost screamed over the scouter, "Where have you been? There was a gigantic energy in your area! What the hell happened?"

"Everything is gone." Goku said before he even knew it. He stared at his hands, clean now but the memory of blood would stain them forever. He would never be clean again, no matter how hard he scrubbed.

"What do you mean everything is gone? What about that massive spike?" This time it was Letifer's voice coming through the scouter, "And you've been silent for four days! Suddenly, all the life readings in the south are gone! What did you do?"

"Everything is gone." Goku repeated empty words. He lay back, nude against the green grass of Vesu. The sun was still hot and it beat against his body, warming it though he couldn't feel it. Not really.

There was silence on the other end of the scouter and Paar's voice sounded, rough and gravelly in Goku's head, "I understand. Meet us back at the landing site in ten. Out."

He sighed, breathing deeply. The lack of control he'd felt earlier was gone, replaced with the calm that could only come with complete emptiness. The sun glinted off the communicator and he knew that his loss of control over his powers had been risky. Too risky. He hadn't cared at the time but Goku knew he had to be more careful in the future.

_In the future…_ he thought bitterly. All this destruction, all this death. For what? Why Frieza? He had no doubt in his mind that this was not the last time he would be sent on a mission like this. A…a…_Clean Bleach._

Disgusting. But he was a murderer now too.

Goku stood up, redoing his pony tail with the help of the river as his mirror. He took off his scouter and a burst of energy dried him completely. He pulled on his spandex suit and armor as well as the boots, tucking the communicator into it again. His gloves were gone, back at the cave where he had taken them off.

He wasn't going to go back for them.

Putting on the scouter again, Goku jumped into the air and extended his senses. Several different energies washed over his mind, those of his squad's. They were already at the Landing site, waiting for him.

_Waiting for their comrade. That's right,_ Goku thought,_ I __**am**__ truly one of Frieza's soldier's now. This nightmare was my initiation._

He locked onto Paar's energy and pressed two fingers against his head. A second passed and he started to flicker. Another passed and he disappeared only to reappear amongst them. Any other time, their surprised and startled faces would have been funny. The look of shock on Solzt's face and Reizo's slackened jaw might have made small shocks of glee run through him but not this time.

He just wanted to go far, far away from Planet Vesu.

"Whoa! What the hell is that?" Reizo pointed at Goku, who had just randomly appeared out of thin air. "What did you do?"

"It's a technique." Goku said thinly, eyes dark and eyebrows pulled together. He didn't clarify and glared when Reizo tried to push an explanation out of him. Finally, the red skinned alien relented, pulling away with his hands up as surrender. Good, he was not in the mood for any of them.

"So it was you who wiped out all the other shits in the south eh?" Solzt grinned, either completely stupid or completely oblivious to Goku's state. He slid through the air towards the empty faced Saiyan, coming to stand only a few inches away. "Did you like it? You know, when you see that they're at your mercy-ack!" Solzt gasped for air, clawing at the hand that held his throat like a vice.

"Shut," Goku growled, bringing his face so close to Solzt that he could see his reflection in those red eyes," the fuck up." He tightened his hand, aware that Paar had placed a large hand on his wrist, pulling it in warning. Solzt's was beginning to turn blue and it made Goku feel strangely giddy to see this creature that so arrogantly took other's lives almost die in his grasp. But he let go, letting Solzt draw back and gasp for air.

Solzt shot him a wide eyed look, like he couldn't believe Goku's strength. Or audacity. Goku didn't care either way. He looked at the others who were staring at him in confusion.

"Are we going?" Goku asked plainly, unwilling to stay on the planet any longer than he needed to. His entire being was itching to get off, to forget somehow, what had happened here.

Thankfully, Paar nodded and Goku's shoulders almost slumped in relief. He wasted no time, flying down the crater towards his pod. He stepped in, knowing the others were staring at his back. It didn't matter. When he seated himself, the door to the pod closed as well, sealing him in darkness once again. It took a few minutes, but the pod eventually lit up and the Contact screen flickered on.

Everyone except for Solzt, Goku realized with a small chuckle, was there. No one commented at the pale alien's absence.

"That large energy spike. What was it?" Paar asked without preamble.

"Nothing." Goku answered, making sure to keep his expression schooled to the best of his ability. His insides were still quivering and his fists were clenching and un-clenching just out of view of the camera.

They stared at him, obviously unbelieving and their gazes ranged from curious to annoyed. Reizo's face was concerned, his mouth twisted downwards into a frown. "Oroitz…" He started, but then shut his mouth; suddenly aware of the others listening in.

A moment of silence passed and Goku couldn't take it anymore. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, hissing through them, "Can we go?" His voice cracked, "Please." His shoulder rose, tense and he mentally begged with all his might that they would just _go._

"Out." Letifer said, disappearing from the screen. The rest followed suit and Goku was left alone in the pod.

The robotic voice he hated invaded his head, "Destination, Lord Frieza's Ship. Estimated Time of Arrival, Two weeks and three days. Have a nice trip."

Goku didn't even wait for the pod to start vibrating before he pushed the stasis button. Almost instantly, he felt darkness pulling at his consciousness and he let it overtake him, hoping desperately that it would offer relief and peace from his own mind. But he knew it wouldn't.

_After all…_ He thought bitterly, _Peace is for the innocent._


	8. Relief Is an Illusion Brought By Stasis

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. It was a bit difficult to get something up after the last chapter's climax. But finally, Goku gets to catch a glimpse of the Prince! Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Goku stretched, climbing out of the pod. His muscles were sore and his eyes had a difficult time adjusting to the bright light of the docking bay. He glanced at his reflection on the Pod window, noting the black bags under his eyes despite the month and a half stasis. His face was a bit leaner and there were small hollows under his cheekbones. He was starting to look like Vegeta and the thought almost made him crack a smile but there was a flash, and he remembered the last time he saw his reflection; mouth covered in blood and flesh.<p>

He took a deep breath, looking away before the feelings overwhelmed him again. It had been hard enough in the pod before he landed. Being stuck, alone, with no noise. Nothing to distract him from his memories. He had never thought that seeing Frieza's ship would invoke such a feeling of both relief and trepidation. It went against all logic, but he was actually happy to be back on it.

It was hard to imagine he'd been gone over a month but the docking bay reflected the pass of time better than anything else. There were more people running around, grumbling to themselves and fiddling with their Scouters and typing frantically away at the various computers spanning across the metal walls. There was a noise and Goku turned to see the other pods opening, each member of the squad slowly coming into view.

They stepped out, cracking and flexing their muscles in an attempt to get the blood flowing again. Reizo groaned, "Feels good after a month eh?" He shook his arms and jumped up and down a few times until he got the hang of being on his feet again.

The others agreed, each doing their own little set of exercises and getting used to being out of the pod. A moment later, they gathered around him and shared an indescribable look amongst themselves. Their eyes flickered to him and back to each other.

"Where are your gloves?" Reizo suddenly asked, lowering his eyes to Goku's hands.

Goku flexed his fingers, curling them into fists. "I…" he floundered for a moment. "I lost them." Finally, he settled on the words, hearing the obvious lie in them. He knew the others didn't buy it at all but they didn't press. Solzt looked perturbed for a moment and his mouth twitched as if he were going to say something but he shut it a second later, thinking better.

That was good; Goku didn't have the patience to deal with Solzt right now. He didn't know if he could control himself should Solzt open his mouth.

"Well, perhaps we will take a trip to the armory then?" Lantern said, breaking the silence, "You can acquire another pair of gloves to replace the ones you…lost." He shot a pointed look at Goku's fists, still clenched tightly against his sides.

Goku almost laughed, no one believed him. He didn't expect them too.

"Well before we make wedding plans," Letifer interrupted them, settling a clawed hand on Lantern and Reizo's shoulders, "We should check in with the crew about the Mission Report."

"Ah yes, the report." Lantern said, rubbing his peachy chin, "How dreary." He muttered, sighing. "I do so hate the report. At least we've upgraded to digital." He turned to Goku and rolled his eyes, "Did you know we used to actually do _paperwork?_" Lantern scoffed, "Paperwork! In this age! The-"

"Shut up Lantern." Everyone said and Goku couldn't help but smile a little at the joke. Lantern glared at them and Paar grinned, leading everyone to one of the computers.

"Let's log in and get out of here. I'm starving!" Reizo said, clapping a hand on Paar's shoulder, "I haven't eaten anything in almost a month!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Solzt griped, "You aren't the only one." None of them noticed Goku's face, mouth twisting downwards at the mention of food and eyes flashing with memories.

The alien at the computer looked exactly like a human and shot a bored look at them as they approached. He sighed, flicking away brown hair and accepting Paar's identification card. Glancing at the number, he typed it in quickly. "One week, _Clean Bleach_ objective complete." He turned back to them, nodding in approval, "That's a large planet. You managed to clean it up in quite a short time. Not bad."

Goku winced.

"Well, you have two days until your next mission. Do you want the details now?" He sped over the keys, bringing up a beautiful planet, much larger than Vesu and white. Almost glaringly white and blue. Goku didn't manage to catch the name before several other, smaller screens overlapped it.

Paar sighed, looking at Goku from the corner of his eye. "No. Leave the details until departure."

The man stopped typing, turning to look incredulously at them, "Really? Hmm, unusual. Whatever you say. Two days then. Departure at Noon, Galactic Standard." That was the last bit of attention the man paid them, turning back to the screen.

A pause later, Paar turned to the group. "Well, let's get out of here. To the cafeteria?"

They all nodded in agreement, heading towards the door to the hallway. It was almost disgusting, the way Goku's stomach growled at the mention of food despite what happened on Vesu. With a feat of mental strength he didn't know he had, Goku pushed away the memory to the deepest recesses of his mind.

"I'm…pretty hungry too." He said tentatively, placing a hand on his stomach. The others turned, eyebrows raised. He smiled weakly, looking up and rubbing his head.

Reizo shot him a grin and gestured to the door, "Shall we? I'll even let you have my desert."

All logic told Goku he shouldn't feel so happy at those simple words, but he did. Even his face perked up, smiling twisting upwards. "That would be great! I love desert!"

"I am not too fond of desert either, I will admit." Lantern said, joining the conversation along with Letifer, who squeezed between Reizo and Goku, "If you wish, I will offer you mind as well."

Letifer chuckled, scoffing and pushed Reizo slightly to the side, "Well, you aren't having _mine_, if that's what you're thinking. I happen to _like_ the desert they give. Better than the rancid meat rations we have to choke down our throats!"

They were traveling up the elevator, Reizo and Letifer chuckling to themselves about something. Paar and Lantern looked sufficiently relieved to get out of the docking bay and heading towards the cafeteria. Solzt looked stoic as ever, staring at the floor with that permanent scowl.

_It's…It's almost as if Vesu didn't happen. _He should have felt guilty about it, thinking of it that way. But he was hungry, his stomach growling as if the incident on Vesu never happened. Again, he pushed it out of his mind and let his squad lead him to the cafeteria.

"Maybe we should take you to the Med Bay for a checkup eh?" Reizo suddenly said, watching with barely unrestrained glee when Goku suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"_NO! Anything but that please!"_ Goku cried and tried to back away, running into Paar's muscular chest. Then he slumped against the wall with a pout, realizing they were joking once they almost collapsed in laughter.

_Bastards._

* * *

><p>The two days passed quickly, Goku thought. It was a flurry of sleeping, eating and killing time in the training room.<p>

_No time to actually train though…_He sighed, throwing the empty room a longing glance. His muscles weren't stiff anymore at least. But…he couldn't actually do any _real_ training. There were cameras everywhere he supposed and the last thing he wanted to do was be caught by security.

He sighed, rubbing his head and wiping away the sweat gathered on his brow. He glanced at his covered hands, at the newly issued gloves. It had come with the warning to not lose them again from the pudgy purple alien who had looked over his report with bored eyes.

He'd even made fun of Goku's writing, glancing at it and barely holding in a snicker!

_The nerve!_ Goku had thought, mouth turning downwards in a pout. _I wish I had some good comebacks. Vegeta always had a few good ones on hand. Or a scowl. I can't even frown properly._ Anyways, he'd taken the gloves and hadn't said anything even remotely resembling a decent comeback and was about to head to the training room again when his scouter buzzed, vibrating against his head.

"Oro? You alive there?" That nickname could only mean Letifer and Goku winced as his voice sounded in his head far too loudly for his liking.

"Yeah. I'm here. What's up?" He asked, pressing the button. The date and time suddenly popped up in his vision on the scouter. Was it already time? "Docking bay?" He asked before Letifer spoke.

"Yep. Get your ass down here. We're already waiting for you."

Goku sighed, his good mood going down the drain. It was already…time for the next mission. A full body shudder ran down his spine. The memories of Vesu were far too recent for him and he had to take a deep, _deep_ breath to calm himself but his hand had already dented the wall of the hallway. Several aliens stared at him and he smiled nervously and waved it away. There was a collective momentary silence and then they continued on their way.

His feet were heavy, leading him towards the docking bay. But there was a voice, a voice he _recognized._

"Quiet Nappa, Radditz."

_Shit._ The thought flashed through his mind faster than the panic spreading through his body. _Vegeta. It's Vegeta. What do I do?_ He stared around him, mind whirling quickly. He needed to hide. He needed to hide before Vegeta or the other two saw him. But where could he hide? It was a hallway and there were too many aliens for him to run back.

The voice was getting closer, _"_When is our next mission, Prince Vegeta?"

_Nappa,_ Goku thought, remembering the bald, burly man's face.

"Three days." This time it was Radditz and his long black mane flashed in Goku's head. What was he going to do? He could _not_ let them see him. Seeing no other method of escape, Goku did the only thing he could think of.

He lowered his head, walking slowly enough not to be suspicious. Or so he hoped. Every other footstep nearly ceased in Vegeta's wake and curiosity was nearly eating away Goku's insides. What did Vegeta look like as a child? What did Nappa and Radditz look like when they weren't knee deep in blood and battle lust? He just had to take a look, stopping in his tracks and letting his eyes wander upwards.

_Vegeta…_He thought in wonder, _you're…you're so short!_ _Especially next to Nappa and Radditz!_ He almost giggled to himself, looking at the short prince walk by. He had to admit, it was even a bit…what was the word? Anticlimactic.

Vegeta was walking by him, almost no different from the Vegeta he knew. He was still standing tall (Goku almost giggled again) and proud, as if he owned the world around him. For all he knew, he _did._ Nappa and Radditz looked like out of place body guards next to their tiny prince.

_He…he has __**hair!**_ Goku thought, almost staring openly at the tall, burly man's head. He couldn't help but think that the large man looked much better without.

And Radditz…_Radditz._ Goku though, staring at him. Seeing Vegeta and Nappa was a strange sensation but Radditz was another story. Seeing Radditz was like seeing Bardock all over again. He could see the resemblance now, when before all he saw was a man trying to kill his friends. This man…was his brother. His own flesh and blood, no different from Gohan or Goten.

_Does he know about me? He has to because he comes looking for me…_Did Radditz ever think about him? Or wonder what happened to him, even before he decides to run to Earth, searching for him? He wanted to reach out and say something but the metal pressing against his ankle stopped him when his logic couldn't.

Nappa, Vegeta and…and his brother passed by, without even throwing a glance his way. It should have made him feel good, that they didn't see him. But he wanted to be recognized. He was a Saiyan after all, and he also wanted to be a part of that elusive heritage.

But he wasn't a Saiyan in so many ways.

"Oroitz!" He almost jumped in place as the voice almost thundered through the silence of his mind. He searched for the voice. Who could have said-?

"Oroitz! Where are you?" He sighed in relief; Lantern.

He smiled sheepishly, though no one was there to see it, "Hi, sorry about that. I'm on my way. I got…uh, caught up in something."

There was an annoyed huff over the scouter, "Well, finish it and get here! We have a tight schedule."

Goku shot a look at Vegeta's back, covered by Nappa's and Radditz's large bodies. They were already heading down the hallway, far away from Goku in every way possible. With a sigh he didn't know he could make, Goku quickly made his way down to the docking bay.

It was harder than it sounded because as per usual, the docking bay hallways were filled to the _brim_ with aliens running about and Goku had to dance like salmon fighting its way upstream. Finally, he made it to the gates where his annoyed comrades were waiting for him.

"Finally!" Solzt groaned, flicking white hair over his shoulder, "We would have already gone and come back by the time you got here."

"Sorry, sorry!" He apologized, trying to ignore the unease he was experience. The docking bay never meant anything good. The sight of pods meant another mission. Another mission…meant more death. More death at his hands.

"We've already got the details, we'll convene inside. Let's go everyone, we're already running late as it is." Paar said, grabbing his ID card from the computer guy and stuffing it under his armor. He pointed at the pods, "Everyone in. Now."

Goku and the others nodded, heading towards their pods. He climbed in, groaning at the thought of being in stasis again. Stasis and little training meant a sore and stiff body. Neither of which Goku liked. He hadn't lived a day in his life without training and he wondered how Vegeta managed to adjust to this life.

Inside, the pod was already lit up, buttons glowing and screens flickering on. They wasted no time and Goku braced himself out of habit more than necessity when the pod shook and fell into space, only to blast forward into nothingness. "Destination, Planet Yerev. Estimated time of arrival, two months. Have a nice trip." Goku was prepared this time, hand over his uncovered ear; protecting himself against that robotic voice.

The Contact Screen turned on and everyone was there. They waited patiently for Paar to elaborate.

"Now that we're all here," Paar shot a look at Goku, "I'll get on with the details. Log Screen."

Goku's eyes immediately looked to the screen right below, recognizing the beautiful white and blue planet he had seen two days earlier on the docking bay screens. He snapped out of it, realizing that Paar was speaking.

"This is also a Clean Bleach Objective. Our destination is Planet Yerev and as you can see, it's much, much larger than planet Vesu. This means that we won't be alone." He said, sighing, "We'll be working with another squad from Quadrant Two-A."

There was a collective groan from everyone except Goku, who looked confused. _Another team? And…another Clean Bleach. _

"Those fucking bastard again Paar? Damn it I thought you put in a request never to work with them again!" Solzt groaned, rolling his eyes. The other agreed, voicing similar questions to which Paar raised his hands in an attempt to calm them down.

Goku was _still_ confused, "Why? Is this bad?" His question was met with impatient glares and he shrunk away. _Damn, they really must not like these guys._

Lantern spoke up, "Sometimes, when we are given an assignment that we cannot handle within the time limit, we are assigned….a partner so to speak. The team in question is one we have worked with before and as you heard from our captain, they are from Quadrant Two-A. They are a similar six man team with…a sadistic streak. Runs through all of them, unfortunately." He brought his three fingered hand up to rub against his chin, "After our last mission with them…they left quite a mess and almost got us killed. If they are being deployed it could only mean that not only is the population too large to purge within the time limit, it means that there will be _resistance._" Lantern cringed, as if he were reliving a memory that was painful for him to bear.

_Resistance? _That was a disturbing thought and for some reason, Goku cringed along with Lantern though he didn't know why.

"They're a mean bunch," Reizo spoke, "Compared to them, we're saints." He looked at Goku with bright yellow eyes, "You don't know em. Not yet anyways. They _like_ resistance."

There was a shiver that passed through all of them, even Goku. The way Reizo had spoken the word added a whole new layer of anxiety and dread to his already churning stomach.

"Anyways," Paar said, interrupting Reizo before he could explain further, "You'll know when we get there. No point in trying to explain something he's going to see in two months. I'm out." With that said, the Captain flickered out, leaving his part of the screen blank.

Goku looked at the others, his eyes pleading for clarification but they simply shook their heads and turned their cams off. One by one, they disappeared and Goku was left once again with his thoughts for company. And he was quickly starting to hate being alone with his thoughts.

This was grim news, and even someone a little bit boneheaded as him knew the implications of _sadism._ He'd experienced it, first hand at Vegeta…then countless others. Not to mention, this was another Clean Bleach Objective. Another valuable planet then, to put up for sale? Sickening.

And he was going to help. The future _demanded_ he comply.

He flicked open the glass covered to the stasis button, pressing it. The semi-familiar feeling of drowsiness was starting to overtake his body and before the tendrils of sleep grabbed his mind, Goku looked out the window.

Looked out into the vast darkness and stars. He didn't know what to call the feeling that was crawling down his limbs.

Maybe it was hope?

Or maybe it was the feeling of breaking.


	9. One Star That Won't Fade

Hi everyone! To be honest, I was actually rather disappointed with chapter eight and I'll probably end up rewriting it soon. I've gotten off to a better start with this chapter and I'm hoping everyone will enjoy! Thank you!

Also, I would recommend reading this at 3/4 or 1/2 story width as in 'full', sometimes the paragraphs and spacing are all mucked up!

* * *

><p>Planet Yerev was as beautiful as Goku had thought and watching it come into view was an absolute wonder. The only word that could accurately describe it was "majestic." Despite the rather small view from his pod, he could see the vibrant azure of what he thought could only be the oceans. He didn't know what the white was, land? Clouds? But…<p>

It didn't matter either way. That gorgeous planet would soon belong to someone other than the Yerevjin, to someone other than the indigenous people who had lived there for generations. People who had cultivated the land and raised their children there.

_And I'm going to have to have a hand in their destruction…_ It wasn't a happy thought and it echoed around the hollow confines of his head. Absently, Goku took out his identification card and pushed in the last four numbers into the panel below the Log Screen, letting the details of Planet Yerev appear.

Surprisingly enough there was little information apart from some shots of their land and several charts detailing the chemical composition of the air and land. He flicked through several screens, trying to understand the various compound written but it was useless. He could barely read the complicated words; much less comprehend what they meant. The only thing he could glean from them was that it meant the planet was habitable and therefore suitable for sale.

He flicked through several more pages, ignoring the complicated text and trying to find pictures instead. There were none save for a small blurry snapshot of what looked like a Yerevjin. There were too few pixels to see properly, and he could only make out what he thought were eyes. Everything else melded into the background.

_So a surprise all the way until landing huh?_ _Not to mention the team we're working with…I wonder what they're like._ The way the rest of the team responded to the news wasn't optimistic. Were they really as bad as Reizo had made them out to be? Was it even usual for two squads to work together? Shaking his head, he pushed away useless thoughts and just as he looked to the tracking screen to see their location, the voice suddenly announced:

"Entering atmosphere in 10, 9, 8…"

_Oh great, this time I'm ready!_ With a grin, he braced himself with one hand while the other one was set firmly between his ponytail and the pod ceiling. He remembered what happened _last_ landing. His head hurt for _days_ on Vesu.

"3….2….1!"

_Why can't I get used to this?_ He thought, holding himself tightly against the confines. Everything was shaking like it was going to explode and Goku nearly ended up on his head by the time he landed. _At least the landings are softer,_ he mused.

The door was already whooshing open and Goku grabbed the pod's remote and stuffed it under his armor, stepping out with a breath of relief. The first thing he noticed was the blistering _cold._ It was so bad he was shivering._ D-damn, why would…th-this planet be- be valuable? It's freezing!_

His scouter blipped and Reizo's voice filtered through, "Oroitz? Did you land?"

"Y-yeah!" He sniffed, answering with a sneeze. "It's freezing!"

"You'll warm up, now get up there." The gruff voice could only be Paar's and Goku nodded, jumping into the air to fly upwards. In the distance he could see his team mates already waiting for him.

Reizo and Letifer gave him a wave which he shakily returned. How were they not freezing cold? "H-hey guys." He said, looking around. It was white for miles and miles around and Goku finally realized what it was: snow! This was a planet of water and snow? Why would it be valuable then? Unable to take the cold anymore, Goku powered up a bit and he felt his muscles relax as his power warmed him up.

The others raised an eyebrow at him and Solzt chuckled in the back, amused at the fact that Goku was freezing. Goku ignored him, his mood much better now that he was somewhat warmer. Well, warm enough that he wouldn't stutter when he spoke. "Where is the other squad?"

"They have already landed." Lantern spoke, checking his scouter, "I believe they have already begun to purge the inhabitants of his planet."

Goku's good mood instantly went downhill. "Is there no other way? Why would Frieza want this planet? There's nothing for miles."

They others looked around them, almost as if it was the first time they were noticing the acres of sprawling snow glittering on the ground. From this high up, it almost looked like a flawless blanket save for the minor uneven patches of rock. It was really beautiful, even if it _was_ freezing.

Paar was the first to answer his question, "It's not the planet. Well, not really. The planet is useless as a base but its rich in resources we need. Also, according to the logs, it's largely untapped because the Yerevjin don't use it."

_There might be some hope then!_ Goku thought, quickly speaking, "Then can't we just…make an agreement or something? With the Yerevjin? We don't need to kill-"

"Not this again!" Solzt groaned, rubbing his head. "Grow some fucking balls." He rolled his eyes, examining his scouter. "I see them, two kilometers north. That way." He pointed one finely manicured finger towards the direction.

The team was off them, speeding towards the direction Solzt pointed them in. Their hands were on their Scouters, tracking the energy levels.

_I can feel them too. Their energy, it's boiling! It's like they're excited._ He didn't like them already and wasn't excited at the prospect of meeting people whose energies jumped up and down uncontrollably at the thought of annihilating people. But it was useless thinking that way because he could already see them, small dots. Six of them.

His team stopped just before them and a small, short child-like alien turned to Goku. She…um…he? It. It had long blond hair that reached down to it waist. The face was round, like that of a child and it had bright, viridian eyes that were set above a small, grinning mouth. It looked almost like Reizo, except its skin was a light green color.

_Is that a girl or a boy?_ Goku wondered, trying not to stare actively at its chest to figure it out. After a few seconds, he gave up because he couldn't tell at all.

"I see you made it Paar. We've already been working hard while you took your sweet time getting here." The voice was unmistakably male and he flicked his blond hair over his shoulder much like Solzt, gesturing to the rest of the team that was approaching. He narrowed his green eyes at Goku, flying close to examine him. "Oh, who is this?"

"I'm G-Oroitz!" He started and hi eyes widened at his near slip. Quickly, to cover it up, he spoke again, "What's your name?" He could almost feel the stares boring into his back at the slip and he laughed to fill the silence.

The boy's mouth turned downwards into a frown and he stopped right in front of Goku, tilting his head and his eyes slit in disapproval. "Hm. A newbie I see. Well, I guess we'll have to teach you the ropes." He looked beyond Goku at his squad, "Because your team is a bunch of useless meat. That's for sure."

Goku was about to protest, but the boy's small hand appeared in his face, palm up. "I'm Aleix and I'm the captain of my squad. It's a…_pleasure_ to meet you."

The others closed in and they were leagues larger than Aleix. There were five of them, and they each came forward to stand beside their captain. One of them flew forward, a large blue creature with one eye and hulking muscles and muscular legs that ended in claw tipped toes. He leaned forward and his disgusting breath washed over Goku's face.

Goku flinched away and the creature laughed, turning back to Aleix. "Hey Captain, he's as wimpy as he looks."

There was a flash and Goku saw Letifer and Reizo appear in front of him, pushing the creature away.

"No one wants to be neat _you_ one-eye." Reizo shot back, "I don't blame him, and I'm having a hard time looking at you without vomiting."

The Cyclops powered up, raising a fist but Aleix's voice cut through them, "Enough Saga. Leave them alone, they're already shaking in their boots as it is. We have a job to do and we can't let them drag us down."

_I don't like them at all. _Goku thought, staring at Reizo and Letifer who were still standing in front of him almost protectively. He flew forward, placing a hand on their shoulders, "Calm down guys. I won't let ugly here startle me again."

Rage sparked though Saga's one eye and it narrowed menacingly at him, "What did you say?"

"Enough! Everyone!" Paar flew in front of Saga, hands by his sides in a show of confidence.

Saga backed down, coming to float beside his short captain. "Hm. The Captain is right," He said, looking at Aleix, "We have a CBO to complete."

Aleix nodded and Goku looked to see his squad mates agreeing reluctantly. Even Solzt, who had stood there looking he was about to explode didn't object, simply nodding at Paar. Lantern and the others were silent, coming to float beside Paar. They two teams stood before each other like they were at each other's throats.

"Let's get down to business." Aleix said, activating his scouter. "The Yerevjin are a water species, and they live underwater."

_How do we get there then?_ He wasn't a mermaid and there was a limit to how long he could hold his breath, Saiyan or not. Just as he thought the question, one of the other aliens came forward. He was a smaller alien but still taller than Aleix. His eyes were slits of gold and his skin was a dark shade of purple. He ran a long fingered hand through short white hair, "May I explain, Aleix?"

The tiny alien smiled, shrugging, "Go for it Laizu."

Laizu tilted his head in thanks and came forward, handing each of them a small mask like object. "These are Oxygen Masks."

Goku took a look at the device. It was a mouth piece with two circular balls on the sides. "What are these things?" He asked, pointing at them.

"Compressed Oxygen." Laizu explained, "They have about two hours worth of oxygen in them. You can refill them by coming to the surface for fifteen minutes. Latest technology from Lord Frieza's Scientists." He looked at his scouter, "I'm sending you the underwater maps. There are several large cities down there, and they are resisting." Laizu grinned, showing off two rows of perfect white teeth. "You know what that means!"

Saga and the rest of his team attached their masks to their face, attaching their lips over the mouthpieces. They gave Goku and his team one last glance before they plunged into the icy cold waters below them.

Goku copied them along with the rest of his team, though Paar had a bit of difficult placing the mask inside his mouth properly. He raised two orange fingers and pointed at the waters, signaling for them to follow.

Goku powered up to warm himself again and followed his team down, wincing as the cold water bit against his skin. _There's water in my nose! Breathe through your mouth Goku!_ It had to be an active though, chanted through his head like a mantra. Finally, a few moments of sputtering underwater and he got the hang of breathing through the mask. Another moment and he rubbed his eye until it cleared.

_Wow, despite the fact that I'm underwater, I can see pretty clearly!_ He thought. The underwater world was completely different from the surface. Where the surface was completely covered in snow, the water they were in was getting warmer and warmer the deeper they swam. There were miles and miles of greenery and seaweed. Hundreds of multi-colored coral flourished between the nooks and crannies of the countless cliffs and mountains. His scouter was bleeping, numbers and a map appeared on the orange screen. They were getting closer.

Closer to killing another civilization.

_Oh no!_ Goku looked down at his boot, _I forgot about the communicator! I don't know if it's waterproof! I can't go back up now though!_ Damnit, how could he forget about the communicator? But, he was just going to have to hope that it was ok. He didn't have time to go back up and down without arousing suspicion._ Wait, there's something in the distance. What is that? _

It was a large bubble, almost like a dome. It was a city! It was a large sprawling megalopolis with several smaller domes extending like minor districts. But the sight of the city wasn't the only that greeted them and Goku could see people swimming towards them.

_Yerevjin? It must be._ He thought, squinting to try and get a clearer view. The Yerevjin were medium sized, slick fish-like creatures with scaled bodies. They had legs and webbed hands and feet. Their eyes were spread apart much like fish and had large frills trailing down the back like hair. They floated before their city, hundreds of them, with what looked like guns and other weaponry.

One of them, larger than the others and a silvery sheen came forward and raised his frilled hand. His mouth opened and closed, issuing orders to the battalions that stood behind him bravely ready to defend their home.

A familiar nausea settled in Goku's chest as if it were its home. From there, it spread down his limbs and spine like fire, almost paralyzing him in place. Their eyes were pitch black other than the irises but Goku could still see the same desperation he saw in the eyes of the Vesujin as they were utterly destroyed.

There was a bang and the Yerevjin fired their weapons at them, eyes lighting like fire as large shells and other artillery approached Goku and his team faster than they could see. There was a smoke and small debris everywhere and Goku had to shield his eyes against the small shrapnel flying all around him. This wasn't good; he actually had a chance of being injured in the water. Unlike the Yerevjin, he was much, much slower in the water and not being able to use his powers meant that he would have to travel at his comrade's speeds.

_Damn it! I don't want to do this!_ He though vehemently and opened his eyes once the smoke cleared. Batting away the small bits floating from the shells, he pushed forward, his energy lending him unnatural speed despite not having any webbing.

The smiles on the Yerevjin faded quickly as they realized their weapons had no effect on the invaders. There was a shouted order and another volley was shot but Goku was prepared, dodging them before they exploded in his eyes. The others fared much the same, dodging and weaving through the fire as if they'd done such their whole lives.

They were closing in fast on the Yerevjin and Goku still didn't know what he was going to do once he got there. The communicator might be shot for all he knew, the metal compartment unsuited for water and already broken beyond repair. That meant he should stop them, right? Stop them before they ruined another civilization?

But it was too late and Letifer's clawed hand had already fired a beam straight through one of the Yerevjin's head and its skull exploded in a slow shower of red blood and bits of flesh. The body floated to the bottom of the sea, the weapon in its hand abandoned. The others followed almost too quickly, death grasping them firmly while the others tried to swim away to the entrance of their city.

Everything was happening much slower in the water than Goku was used to. There were shots and explosions but the smoke and fragments cleared at a fraction of the pace he was used to in the air or on land. His senses were confused, trying to detect his comrades and separate them from the urgent Ki of the Aleix's team but it was difficult and his thoughts were muddled. Desperately, he grabbed at something in fog and brought it forward so he could see. With a gasp, he let go. It was a decapitated Yerevjin body and it dropped listlessly like a slow motion movie against the rock beneath him.

Looking away from the sight, Goku pushed forward and powered up to speed away from the destruction. He needed a clear view of what was happening and he wanted to avoid killing anyone. He couldn't speak with the mask on him and he couldn't even be sure they would understand what he was saying should he try to communicate with the Yerevjin anyway. And if they attacked he would be forced to counter or flee, the latter not being an option.

He swam above the mess and saw that the glass dome protecting their large city had already been shattered. Aleix and his team were already on their way inside and Goku only had to follow the trail of corpses littering his path like Hansel and Gretel's bread crumbs. He pointedly avoided the sight of the bodies, both small and big that were strewn across their tubular architecture. Many of them were missing their heads and limbs and there were others crawling on the floor, dying as they dragged their intestines across the floor.

Goku dropped down to them and closing his eyes, placed a finger between their shoulder blades and letting loose a beam of energy that would kill them instantly. The least he could do was let them go quickly and he shot a glare at Aleix's small back. What kind of heartless bastard would leave them to die?

_At least kill them quickly!_ He nearly screamed in his head, a burst of Ki pushing him forward to catch up with Laizu and Saga. He grabbed the blue beast by his muscular arm, pulling him away and almost gasping in horror when he saw the discolored innards of a Yerevjin in Saga's grasp. It was still attached to a struggling Yerevjin and Goku quickly shot a beam through the creature's heart, ending its life in what he hoped was a merciful decision.

His action was not looked at kindly and a fist propelled him backwards as it was slammed forcefully against his chest. Goku had to concentrate, breathing properly through his mouth and glared at Saga who pulled back his fist with the expression of a man who had his toy taken from him.

_What a disgusting creature, _Goku thought and straightened himself. His blow was weak, nothing that would even faze him and he stared back at the one-eyed alien, not backing down.

There was a moment that looked like Saga was about to attack him but the corner of his one eye quirked up in an expression Goku couldn't understand. The next moment, Saga left him in a whirl of bubbles as he powered up and away into the distance behind his captain.

Speaking of the tiny Captain, Aleix was slaughtering the Yerevjin like pigs, not even bothering to make sure he snuffed out their lives properly before dropping them into the water like they were nothing but trash. The flailing Yerevjin sank, glistening skin missing scales and matted with blood and they reached up to the surface like pleading children before the last light of life in their eyes faded away like a flame in the wind.

Rage started to boil in Goku's stomach. It spiraled up his body from the tips of his toes to his very hairline in a surge of power but he struggled to control it, realizing that Laizu and his team had stopped to stare at him, their Scouters flickering with numbers too fast for them to read properly. Aleix's eyes widened marginally and he crushed the neck of the Yerevjin he had in his hand and flung its lifeless body to the side before he continued.

There was a deep breath and his anger calmed, a blanket of conviction settling over it. These were the people his team so disliked. And with good reason. They were merciless killers. Whereas Letifer and the others merely survived, these people _thrived_ on the deaths of their enemies. They slaughtered without discrimination or thought, butchering anyone in their way. More often than not Goku could see them toying with their enemies before killing them; picking apart their scales or slowly tearing off the frills, their eyes lighting up with joy as the creatures in their hands screamed. Bubbles erupted from their mouths along with spurts of blood as they were choked and suffocated and even then, _even then,_ they were not permitted to die.

They suffered at the hands of these monsters. At least his team killed them as quickly as possible. Even Solzt, that white haired bastard that Goku so disliked, even he had a shred of honor in him. To revel in the deaths of those who were weak and defenseless was disgusting. These men weren't warriors, they were worse than dirt.

This time, Goku's rage was a tool that he kept carefully controlled. He swam faster than Aleix's team did and with his own hands, he killed the Yerevjin as quickly as possible. Already on Vesu, his hands were stained with the blood of innocent creatures. He didn't want to kill these fish like creatures, which had obviously existed so long in peace, but he would do it. If only to save them from the hands of Saga and Laizu…If only to have them die quickly. Quickly, before they realized it.

He was already damned. He was already a killer, just like Lantern and the others. But he would _not_ become like Aleix.

_No one else will suffer at their hands. Not like that._ He thought and a beam of light erupted from his fingers, taking the life of another alien.

There was a glint in the corner and Goku's eyes immediately honed in on the flash. A silvery blue creature stared over a fallen piece of debris, aiming a gun at them.

_He's dying,_ Goku realized when he saw the trail of blood behind the Yerevjin. He would not live long, minutes at best. And suddenly, their eyes made contact and time seemed to slow down and stop.

The destruction around Goku ceased and everything fell silent, the smoke and everyone around him came to a stop. It was almost as if time had ceased to move around them.

_I'm Goku._ He thought, staring at the dying Yerevjin. _I'm sorry._ He continued, apologizing with his eyes though his body wouldn't move.

The Yerevjin looked back at him with white pupils, staring through him. Goku didn't shrink away and instead he kept his gaze firmly locked onto those large eyes and let the creature look for as long as it wanted. He would hide nothing from him.

_Thank you, _they eyes said to him and Goku's eyes widened. The gun moved and it was no longer aimed at him, pointing at Saga's back instead. _You killed us quickly, _The Yerevjin continued though his mouth didn't move. The eyes flicked at Saga's back and back to Goku, _Will you stop me?_ They asked, a webbed finger crooking on the trigger.

There was no hesitation in his decision, _No._ Goku answered back and almost smiled around his mask. _Kill him._ _Kill him who reveled in your slaughter._

The creature smiled at him and pressed the trigger. Time started to move again, slowly at first then faster and faster. It was in explicit detail that Goku could see the bullet exit the barrel in a flurry of smoke and water. The bullet was silver, almost the same color as the Yerevjin who fired it and it flew through the water towards Saga.

Goku made no movement to stop it and it was with grim satisfaction that the Saiyan watched it piece the back of that monster's skull. There was purple blood surrounding the wound and his skull nearly exploded, bits of skull and brain bursting from the entry. Saga choked a wonderful sound and the movement in his limbs ceased along with his breathing. The life faded from his eyes and he went slack. The mouthpiece fell from his sagging jaw and floated down with him to the remains of the city they plundered.

_Let this city be your grave and headstone._ Goku thought and looked back at the Yerevjin that sagged over the gun, dead like his killer. _Rest easy. You did a good job._ He didn't look back to see whether Aleix or Laizu responded. He didn't even wait to see his team closing in behind them and simply swam towards the largest structure there. There was a strange energy coming from there, almost similar to Dende's.

The structure was larger than he thought, almost reaching the top of the remains of the glass dome. When he touched it, it felt like coral and had small flowers and seaweed attached to it. However, the structure was broken in several areas, bits and pieces of coral floating down like heavy weights in the water. The energy was close, one of the only few left that Goku could feel. The rest were gone…or going.

He swam through one of the openings, heading upwards towards the top. He dodged falling rock and strange furniture as well as various floating bodies and limbs, a reminder of what they had done. He was getting closer, he could feel it. There was a ceiling, blocking the way and he pressed his gloved hands against his, pushing energy into them and feeling the coral crumble beneath his palms.

He bypassed the rock easily, swimming further upwards.

_Is that the surface?_ He thought in wonder, for it seemed like there was _sky._ But it couldn't be, they were below the ocean. The Dome was below the ocean. It made no sense! It didn't matter anyways and he headed straight for it, almost surprised when he surfaced in a room.

_I can breathe here! There's air. _ Pulling off the mask, he took a deep breath, thankful that he could breathe through his nose again. He looked around the circular room, eyes wide at the sheer amount of riches that littered the place. There were beautiful multi-colored shells and stones decorating the walls. There were pillows and lavish furniture laced with what looked like gold and other precious metals. Even the room itself was a bright blue, like the sky above them.

There was a whimper and Goku's head whirled towards something that looked like a curtain. It was shaking and he could literally _smell_ the fear emanating. He jumped out of the water and squeezed his hair, sighing as he instantly felt lighter. Slowly, Goku tread across the room, trying not to scare whatever was hiding behind the curtain.

The whimpering got louder then ceased, short breaths taking its place in the silence. This was the source of the energy, he was sure of it. Maybe, maybe there was a chance he could save someone! Goku's heart almost jumped with joy at the thought and he pulled away the blue cloth to reveal at small Yerevjin.

This one was different from the others he had seen. Instead of the silvery blue scales the rest had, this one was light yellow, like the sun. Its frills were a deep golden color that flared purple at the tips. Its eyes were shut and hands rose over its face in an attempt at defense and its long, slender legs were curled underneath itself from fear.

Goku crouched and a stab of guilt went through his stomach at the sight of the scared Yerevjin. He was the cause of this fear and it was something he was wholly unused to. He used to be a guardian. People looked at him in gratitude…not this…this fear that was emanating from the poor Yerevjin in waves.

"Hey…" He began, unsure if the creature understood him, "I'm…I'm not going to hurt you."

Slowly, its eyes opened. Where the eyes of humans would be white, the creature's was black save for the irises themselves. They were a bright violet, a beautiful contrast to the soft yellow of its skin and set above darker golden lips. But those striking eyes were almost wild with fear and it shook before him, hands still held high above its head.

"Do…do you understand me?" He tried again, feeling the rising and falling energy of Aleix. He was angry, probably at the death of Saga. He could feel Paar and the others as well, and their Ki was spiking up and down as well. They were getting closer and he needed to get progress _now._ "Please answer if you can, we don't have much time!"

The creature lowered its hands slowly and its eyes focused on him. Chin trembling, it opened its mouth to answer, "I…I can."

_Yes! That's fantastic!_ He thought and it showed on his face for the Yerevjin jerked back from his expression. He held his hands up, "Listen. You…you know what's happened right?" He said, looking down at the floor and avoiding its eyes.

Suddenly, those eyes sparked with an angry fire and it launched itself at him angrily, pounding those small fists into his chest. They were weak blows, like tickles to Goku but they hurt anyways. "I know you killed them! You bastards! How could you? Why are you here? Kill me now; let me join my friends and family!" Those fists stopped pounding, sliding down to rest on his stomach and its head sagged on his shoulder, "But you're different. I know you let one of your own die."

His head jerked up, _how does it know?_

It laughed hollowly, placing its head in the palms of its yellow hands. "I shared his memory. We can share recent memories."

_Oh. Then…then it knew that the Yerevjin was dead._ Goku sighed, lying back against the floor to stare the blue colored ceiling. "I'm sorry." He said, but he knew it wasn't enough.

"You killed us quickly…" It said, almost as if it were repeating what the other Yerevjin had silently communicated to Goku. "You didn't let us suffer. You're not like them."

He laughed, rubbing his eye. "Thank you. You don't know how that makes me feel. Listen, I know this is going to sound strange, but can you heal?"

The creature looked at him and raised itself to look at him, confused for a moment. For a second, it floundered for words like the language was difficult for it. "I…can heal. Why?"

_Yes! So that energy I felt that was similar to Dende really__** is**__ the energy to heal!_ He raised himself quickly, catching the creature before it fell off, "I have to say this quickly. I can feel the others getting closer, we have _one_ chance but it's your choice. I can't force you, but there is a chance I can get them to spare you."

The creature's black eyes widened, purple depths showing surprise and shock at the prospect. It pulled away, coming to sit against the wall again to ponder. A minute passed, then two and Goku could feel them getting closer and closer to them. Damn those Scouters. "Hurry," he urged, "They're coming! I don't want them to kill you too please!"

"Yes!" It answered finally, "I'll come! I don't want to die. Not like this, please." It grabbed Goku's wet armor, "Do whatever it takes. I want to live."

Relief flooded Goku and he breathed deeply to calm himself down. He needed to do this properly, "I have a plan." He said to it, and gathered a small ball of energy in his palms and pressed it against his skin, hissing as it burned his forearm in the space between the glove and the suit.

"What are you doing!" The creature asked, surging forward but Goku held up his hand.

"We have to prove you can heal. No better way than a demonstration, don't you think?" He grinned through the tears in his eyes and pulled his hand away to eye the wound. The skin was burnt and red, capillaries swelling and bursting beneath the skin. _Damn it that hurts more than I thought it would. Please let this person be able to heal well! Or…we have to kill it too. _

He couldn't handle that and just as he was about to say something, a burst of energy made him whirl his head to the water.

There were Aleix, Paar and the others surfacing from underneath. The creature gasps and raised its hands above its head.

_This isn't good, _Goku thought, looking at Aleix. _He's really angry. I need to stop him before he kills this one before I have a chance to try and save it!_ He raised his hands quickly, stepping before the angry, tiny alien, "Wait, stop!"

"Get out of my way! I don't have time for your pacifist bullshit!" Aleix growled, stalking closer, completely pissed and fuming. His energy was rising above him and making everything in the room tremble, including both members of the two squads.

_Wow, that's a lot of energy coming from someone who is so scrawny looking._ Goku didn't back down. Stepping in front of the blazing whirlwind of angry energy, he raised his own to match Aleix's. In the corner of his vision, he saw Solzt's jaw drop. Calmly, he grabbed Aleix by the armor and hauled him upwards, "Calm down." He said and dropped the child like alien to avoid a kick to the stomach.

Aleix's eyes were wide and he stepped back for a moment before he straightened up. Glancing at Goku with a sudden disinterested look he sneered, "So what is it? Why haven't you killed this stupid creature yet?" Tiling his head, he looked directly at the cowering Yerevjin.

"Because," Goku began, walking towards the small creature, "It can heal." Showing them his burnt arm, he presented it to the Yellow alien. His voice dropped to a whisper that only it could hear, "It's your chance. You've got to heal me."

The creature nodded and brought trembling hands to rest over his arm. Suddenly, its eyes opened wide and the violet eyes started to glow. The glow extended, flowing down its body like a radiant light and illuminated the entire room. Channeling it, the creature focused the energy to its hands and Goku's burn.

The light was soothing and it washed over the burning wound like water, making Goku sigh in relief. A few moments later, there was nothing left of the burn except for a small patch of pinkish skin. He turned back to the group, expecting to see relieved faces but he was disappointed.

The others looked completely unimpressed, even his own team. Sadly, he saw Lantern shake his head.

"And?" Laizu said, coming to stand before him, "What does that have to do with anything?"

There was a whimper of fear behind him and Goku's mind started to work, what could he say? _What reason can I give them, to let them spare this one? What do I say?_

"Because," he blurted, stuttering over the words, "Because of the recent…uh mutiny on our ship! We've lost a lot of personnel you see and the medical bay has been short of staff. Right?" He turned a pleading look to his crew, and saw Reizo's eyes light up.

The red skin alien stepped forward, forcefully pushing Laizu away from Goku. "Yeah. Lord Frieza wiped out a lot of men on Vegeta," he started, golden eyes flicking from Goku to the Yerevjin and back, "There's been a backlog at the Medical Bay. We need all the healers we can get!"

Laizu stepped back with a dissatisfied look on his face and let Aleix speak, the tiny alien placing a hand on his wet hair, "Check in with Lord Frieza's Ship's Mainframe. I refuse to let this creature out of my sight until then. Got it?"

Goku felt his knees almost go weak from relief. _Yes. This is good, Reizo I'm counting on you!_ He shot his orange and red haired companion a grateful look and a weak smile that was returned as a two fingered wave. He turned to the Yerevjin who looked a little less scared than before though it was still shaking against the wall. Crouching beside it, Goku whispered again, "How long can you stay above water?"

"A…almost six months." It said back, voice almost cracking, "B-but I can go longer! Please!" Its mouth was trembling as it spoke and its sobs made their way into its words. Goku fought hard not to place a hand on its shaking shoulder.

_I can't give it any false hope,_ he thought, remembering the mainframe. He shot a look at Paar, who was speaking in low tones with someone over the scouter. _It's still not a guarantee that this person will make it at all._ Aleix's energy was also wavering, telling Goku that the tiny captain was absolutely _itching_ to kill the Yerevjin and get back at him for standing up to him.

_Doesn't take too much effort, _Goku thought with a snicker, _What with how short he is!_ _But…better not to say anything. He's on a short fuse as it is._

"It's settled," Paar said, pulling on Goku's armor, signaling for the Saiyan to stand. "I've…informed the ship about Saga's unfortunate demise." He shot a grin that only Goku could see and he struggled not to return it, fully aware that Aleix and the others were watching closely. The orange alien turned to Aleix, "They've given me full authorization of Saga's pod to use as transport for the Yerevjin healer."

Aleix couldn't contain the scowl that was blooming across his face and it looked like he was about to explode before he contained himself. Laizu stepped forward, but Aleix shot him a glare that made Goku shiver and the child-like alien stalked back to the water, "Put on your masks team. Let's go." He attached his Oxygen mask to his face and jumped into the water with the others following.

With one last dirty look, Laizu followed his captain and left the others standing there along with the Yerevjin.

Goku looked at the others and there was a collective sigh of relief. His knees finally buckled and he slid to the floor next to the Yerevjin who looked like it was about to cry from happiness.

"That," Reizo said coming to stand before him with a pissed off look in his eyes, "Was _the_ most ridiculous plan I have ever seen in my life. I am two breaths away from kicking you in the face. You fucking scared us! Where the hell have you been hiding that power?" He kneeled before Goku and looked at the yellow Yerevjin, "You are so lucky," he said, pointing to Goku, "He is _the_ definition of idiotic but he saved you. Don't forget it."

"Hey!" Goku said, interjecting and pushing himself between the Yerevjin and Reizo, "No one owes me anything ok?"

Reizo was roughly pushed aside as Lantern and Letifer came to crouch beside him. Letifer was grinning widely and Goku saw the Yerevjin cower at the sight of his scary face, "But Oroitz," The blue skull-like alien began, "They way you _hauled up Aleix!_ That was amazing! I have never seen the little bastard so pissed! He looked like he was going to bleed out of his eyeballs!" He cackled, showing two rows of pointed teeth.

Goku shivered at the sight, seeing it mirrored by the Yerevjin from the corner of his eyes.

"Yes," Lantern added, grinning, "I will conclude that seeing Aleix livid out of his mind has greatly amused me. It never ceases to be interesting with you!"

"Not to mention Saga is dead. Hated the fucker anyways." Solzt said from the back, flicking the wet strands of his hair over his shoulder. He focused his red eyes on Goku, "Something tells me you had something to do with it too."

Before Goku could protest, Paar interrupted them both, "Listen. I know we are all very happy to see Aleix almost piss his pants but we have got to go." He looked at Goku and narrowed his blue eyes before sighing, "You take care of the Yerevjin. We'll go ahead. Don't take too long."

He signaled to the others who put their masks on and jumped back into the water. Reizo was the last to go, shooting him a bright grin and thumbs up before he followed them into the icy waters.

It was a long moment before anyone spoke and Goku turned his head to see the small Yerevjin stifling small sobs into its arms.

_I'm so sorry…_He thought, and looked away.

"It's…it's not your fault!" it said suddenly, making Goku jerk in surprise.

"What?" He sputtered eyes wide. How could it not blame him? He was part of the destruction that happened here.

The fish-like creature looked at him, eyes shining and slightly watery, and "You…you saved me. You didn't need to but you did. You are a good person."

Goku looked down at his wet gloves, curling his fingers into fists. "I…used to be a good person." He stared, "But not anymore. I've killed people, innocent people."

The creature didn't say anything, simply sat there beside him for a few minutes. Suddenly it spoke, golden lips opening, "My name is Ula."

_Oh! That's right I haven't introduced myself!_ Goku grinned and rubbed his wet head, "I'm Oroitz. Nice to meet you." Suddenly another thought struck his head, and he looked at the creature, eye crawling towards its flat, scaly chest, down over its trim waist and down to the slim material covering its long, thin legs. "Um…" he started, unsure of how to ask, "Are you a girl or boy?"

Ula looked at him and Goku realized its mouth and shoulders were shaking. _Oh no darn it!_ "I'm sorry!" He panicked, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't mean to be rude-huh?"

He was interrupted by the sound of laughter emanating from its small body. Ungracefully, Ula fell against the floor in a heap of giggles and squeals.

Goku pouted, crossing his arms and waiting for the laughing fit to pass. "What's so funny?" He asked when it subsided, trying to look commanding but obviously failing because it sent Ula into another fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry!" It nearly squealed, "Just…oh god, I'm sorry." Finally, Ula got itself under control and smiled at Goku, "I'm a female. Do your females look different?"

Goku floundered, trying to find the right words, "Um, well….where I come from girls have breasts." He mimicked their shape with his hands, cupping them over his chest. He tried to ignore the blush that was quickly rising in his cheeks.

Ula giggled, "I must look funny then." She said, standing up. She offered a hand to Goku who took it and let her help him up. "Thank you." She said again, mood sober. "You saved me. You did everything you could to help me."

There was a sigh from Goku's chest, and he wanted to say something but he had killed her people. He deserved no such respect, "I…Like I said Ula, you don't owe me anything. The life I helped you save might end up…being worse than dying." _ Like it is for me, _he thought but didn't say out loud.

She must have already realized it though, looking at him with violet eyes and smiling softly. "Shall we go then? I…don't want to keep them waiting."

Goku nodded and picked up the mask, placing it on his mouth. Together, they jumped into the water and Goku gathered her to his chest, letting his power propel them to the surface faster than she could swim. Bursting through the water, the bitter cold snapped at their skin only for a moment before his aura chased it away, warming them both as he checked the location of Saga's pod.

"So," He began, adjusting his head so her arms didn't tug on his wet hair, "How come you can stay above water? You have gills."

Ula nodded, her gold and purple frill fluttering, "Yes. But I am different from my people. Every couple of millennia, an _Astagh_ is born. It means "Star" in my language but we are…like the memories of our people all converged into one being."

With wide eyes, Goku listened to her story. "Does that mean that you are…a memory?"

"Of sorts," Ula agreed, "I am not a memory itself but instead, I am a collection of memories that all came together to create me. That's why I can speak your language and live above water. I only need to swim once every six or seven months. I think our people used to be like you." She moved her legs up and down to prove her point.

"I don't know," Goku grinned to her, seeing the pod in the distance, "I'm a bit slow, or so I'm told. And there's the pod."

They landed beside it and he urged her in quickly, keeping his power up until it closed so she wouldn't be cold. As the door slowly sealed her in, he spoke between the gaps to quell the panic he could see swelling her eyes, "I'm going to my pod ok? Once I'm there I'll contact you. Don't worry; it'll take me only a few minutes. Just hang tight Ula." He waited for the pod to fully close before he blasted off towards his own pod. The last thing she probably needed right now was to be alone in a dark pod.

He was at his own pod in no time and he didn't waste a single second, climbing in and settling into the red material, waiting for the door to close. Once it did, the pod lit up and his fingers almost flew over the control panel, remembering how Reizo had instructed him.

_Yes! _He thought as the screen flickered on. There was a second, but Ula's golden, scaled face appeared on it. Her face slackened in relief and she smiled weakly at him but Goku could see the tears glistening on her round face and instantly, he felt himself slump against the pod as well.

"Hey," He said, smiling. "The pod should have F-Lord Frieza's-"he remembered the robotic voice's admonishment and had no desire to hear it repeat the words, "ship. The pod is going to shake for a bit, don't be scared."

The Yerevjin nodded fearfully and the pods began to quake as they were shot into space. He kept the camera on, letting Ula see him and his face so she wouldn't panic. She was truly alone now, the last of her kind.

_And I helped…_ He thought. And even still, knowing he had done what he had done, he wanted to befriend her. Smiling weakly at her, Goku was relieved to see her lips stretch in what could only be called a watery smile. They were in space now and their pods had stopped shaking. Her eyes had gone impossibly wide and she leaned forward, the tips of her frill brushing against the camera.

"Is this the first time you've ever seen space?" He asked softly.

"Yes…" She said voice full of wonder and awe as she probably looked at the stars. "I've heard stories of it from travelers that came to Yerev but…to see it." She leaned back, sighing. "I didn't imagine the circumstances that would lead to it though…"

_It's true…_Goku thought, looking at her downturned mouth and slumped shoulders. "I…" He started, and then shut his mouth, waiting for her.

Violet eyes looked up, wet with tears but she held them at bay admirably, "T-tell me about space." She said, finally unable to hold back the sobs. She bit her lower lip, small body trembling with sobs. She wrapped her slender, golden arms around her torso and let her tears trail down her cheeks.

"Well," Goku began, "Right now, we're traveling to Lord Frieza's ship and it will probably take us two months to get there. It's a bright yellow ship…"He continued, speaking to her despite the sobs.

A long time passed before Ula turned off the camera and pressed the button that would send her into stasis.

Goku was tired too but he felt better than he had since he'd gotten to the past. It had taken him several hours, or a day, he couldn't tell in space. But it was refreshing to speak to someone and explain where they were going, what was going to happen.

It was nice to share stories of their favorite foods and memories. Ula had a sister who had perished and she cried when she told him stories of the time they snuck out during the Starlight Festival to dance with the Yerevjin boys.

Goku told her about his sons and how his favorite foods were pork dumplings and rice. He told her about space, about the things he'd seen without going into too much detail about them.

Eventually, Ula's eyes drooped and Goku bid her a safe trip, "I'll see you on the ship. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," She said and the screen flickered, leaving Goku alone in the pod once more.

Yawning, he pressed the Stasis button. His last view was the light spackle of glitter she had left behind in his arms. He smiled as he drifted off, the stasis grabbing hold of his body and mind.

_I'm not a monster._ He thought, _I saved someone._


	10. The Leave

Newest chapter of Dream of Yesterday! Zarbon appears on the scene!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>A whole week on leave…<em> Goku thought, laying his head against the pillow of his bunk. He sighed deeply, placing one leg over the other, careful not to crush the communicator.

_Thank Kami it still works!_ He grinned to himself, remembering the relief that flooded his body when he fiddled with it before he landed back on Frieza's Flagship. It had been a heart pounding moment, and he had held his breath the entire time his shaking hand had traveled towards the dial, turning it hesitantly. When it flickered on despite the drops of water sliding down its screen, he almost cried in relief. Yes, it was still static and yes, it _still_ didn't make any contact with the future but at least it _worked._

_I remember when made the spaceship to get me to Namek. He told me if he hadn't managed to salvage the engine, it would have been almost impossible to build a ship that would get me there within my lifetime!_ That meant that creating a communicator from scratch would be unfeasible. He had a better chance if the communicator were still functioning. It was already a leap, thinking that fixing it would even work but he had to try. _I owe it to all the people I've…helped kill. At least._

Ula's golden face flashed through his mind, her violet eyes sparking with fear when they took her away to meet Frieza. He had comforted Ula as best he could, trying to calm her and sending glares at the soldiers who escorted her away. When one of them went a bit blue in the face, staring at his bloody countenance and fierce scowl, Goku considered it a battle won and relaxed.

_Frieza won't kill her, will he? He needs all the staff he can get and from what I've heard, he's anything but an idiot._ He sighed again, staring at the metal seams between the plates at the bottom of the top bunk. What should he do now? Apparently, the amount of missions they were taking was two or three times the normal amount they would have been doing. _Thanks to Frieza back on Vegeta,_ he thought with a frown. According to Paar, they needed the week off to make sure their bodies weren't worn down by stasis.

_Well,_ Goku thought, _anything is better than purging planets. _He jumped up, stretching his neck and arching his back to get rid of any aches or pains. His stomach grumbled and he realized he hadn't eaten anything since getting back from Planet Yerev. He had been so preoccupied and worried about Ula that he hadn't even noticed his stomach complaining until now.

Well, no time like the present. He did have seven whole days until the next mission. Might as well get some food then scout out some scientists and see if he can get some information. Maybe he could even get a chance to talk to them about the communicator without it being suspicious. But with Frieza still on the ship…it was going to be difficult.

_No sense in thinking on an empty stomach!_ He thought with a chuckle. With any luck, he would meet Ula on the way even if he had to go to the Medical Bay. Grabbing the orange scouter, he placed it over his eye and took a moment to get used to the used to part of his sight changing color. He hated these things, but it would be far too suspicious to walk around without it. Especially since he had raised his power level back on Planet Yerev to stand up against Aleix.

_Oh man, and that __**slip!**_He cringed at the memory. _I almost told them my real name! I can't let that happen again. Now my team is even __**more**__ suspicious. _Best to avoid them then, for a while.

His stomach growled again, reminding Goku of food. Pulling on his gloves, he headed out of the bunk and extended his senses, feeling for Paar and the others. They were in the training room and he could sense Ula on the fourth level of the ship, as well as Vegeta but not Nappa or Radditz. From what he could tell, Ula, Frieza and Vegeta were near each other. For a moment, he was afraid they would kill her but her energy simply wavered as if she were afraid. Otherwise it was stable and he didn't think she was hurt.

_I don't know if I can stop myself from blasting up there if they did do something…_ He thought, but the smell of food distracted him. The cafeteria was close and the hallways were starting to look familiar, the yellow of the walls were worn and the floor was dirtier the closer he got.

He walked through the door, chest heaving as he took in the scent of delicious food. Maybe the others didn't like the meat rations, but for a Saiyan who barely ate between and during missions, it was like Gourmet Food! And he could barely wait to sink his teeth into it!

At the counter, he took the tray and his ID card, tucking it into his armor while walking towards one of the countless empty tables in the cafeteria. Too bad his was the only squad that was on leave; the others were either dead or still away on mission. Biting into the grayish meat (and ignoring the greens that looked like they were alive) he focused on Ula's energy. It was still stable but it was no longer on the fourth floor. It was actually traveling down!

_Towards this level! _That was a good thing! It meant that she was still alive! He breathed a sigh of relief then quickly banged his fist against his chest, almost choking on the meat. Darn it, he shouldn't inhale his food like that, he wasn't getting a lot of it anyway so he swished it around in his mouth, trying to savor the taste for as long as he could. Unfortunately, it didn't last as long as he would like and in what seemed like a matter of minutes, the entire tray (save for the greens) was completely empty.

He placed the tray back on the counter, watching it disappear as robotic hands took it away into the darkness. With that done, he almost jogged out of the cafeteria. It was already hard just _smelling_ the food, another moment there and he would consider begging for another tray. He was already ten feet out into the hallway again before Reizo's familiar energy washed over his body.

"Oroitz!" His red companion was already beside him, jogging down the hallway, "What are you up to?"

"Hey Reizo!" He smiled back, turning his head to look at Reizo, "Just heading towards the-"

"Training halls I bet!" Reizo said, slowing to a walk, "There are only two things _that_ way! The med bay and the training halls and I know you aren't headed towards the first!" He nudged the Saiyan in the rib, "How about a spar?"

_Well, _Goku thought and slowed to Reizo's pace, _it can't hurt. Ula's energy is stable, so she's ok. She can wait._ "Sure!" He exclaimed and his heart was already thrumming in his chest at the prospect of a spar. It wouldn't be anything serious obviously, given Reizo's power, but it was still a spar!

_And for the first time in a while, it won't be against helpless civilians on defenseless planets…_ The memory was a bit depressing but they were already at the training room and the thought vanished like wind.

_Uh oh._ Goku thought, eyes widening. The training room was _not_ empty like it had been the last several times he had visited. There, in the center, punching away at the air was a muscular man with a dark mane of hair that reached almost down to his knees. His furry tail was wrapped around his thick waist, telling everyone around him that he was a Saiyan.

Without thinking, Goku grabbed Reizo's wrist and pulled him past the room. He bypassed the door and the viewing window with his head down, ignoring Reizo's protests.

"What's wrong Oroitz?" He asked, looking back at the man in the training room before he completely went out of view. He looked at Goku, almost tripping when the man pulled him a bit faster than he was walking.

"Oh! I'm sorry Reizo." Goku started, catching the orange haired alien before he fell to the floor. Grabbing Reizo by the shoulders, Goku helped him back up. "I…uh…I don't want him to get hurt in the spar! Yeah, that's it!" _Wow, that is such a bad lie. I hope he doesn't question me._ "You ok?"

Reizo was staring at him strangely and Goku desperately hoped he wasn't about to be interrogated. Thankfully though, Reizo simply smiled weakly and let Goku help him up. "I'm good, thanks. The next room should be empty, hopefully."

Goku nodded with a smile, infinitely grateful that neither Reizo questioned him nor Radditz saw him. _That was lazy of me,_ he thought, placing the scouter on one of the benches of the next training room. _He could have seen me; I didn't even sense his energy._ It was difficult, since it had been so low but twenty years later his power level would give him and Piccolo a difficult time.

"You ready?" Reizo asked, snapping Goku out of his thoughts. The muscled, red alien was already jumping up and down, fists held in the air. His orange and yellow hair bounced up and down with him, framing sharp yellow eyes and a fierce, competitive grin. Goku felt his own energy starting to swirl with the excitement of battle.

He fell into a similar stance, different than the nonchalant one he had taken with Solzt on the first day. This was his regular stance; legs spread apart and slightly crouching. His fists were curled against his torso, hands held up. He felt a grin spread across his face, mirroring Reizo's.

"You ready?" He asked, inching closer and letting his muscles flex in preparation, "I'm not going to go easy on you!"

Reizo chuckled, "Please, newbie. You should be honored that the great Reizo has graciously allowed you to engage in a fight with him!"

_His guard is down;_ Goku thought and sped forward in a blur. He closed the distance quickly, noting the surprise on Reizo's face. He wasn't too fast though; making sure that Reizo could dodge and grinned when his sparring partner dodged nimbly.

Reizo dropped, dodging Goku's blow and sending out his own leg out in an attempt to catch and trip him. He gasped when Goku jumped over his leg like he saw it coming from miles away. Jumping towards him, Reizo let loose his fists, a barrage of blows against Goku.

They punches were still so slow to Goku, but he let a few hit him and staggered back, gasping for breath. He parried the other blows, sending out his own against Reizo, avoiding the man's face. Aiming for the chest and stomach, he upped his speed and even let a few connect. Jumping back when a well aimed leg almost hit his midsection, he powered up a small blast in his hand and sent it towards Reizo.

Laughing, Reizo jumped over the ball and it crashed against the walls of the training room, dissipating in a bright show of light and sparks. "Is that all?" he taunted, sending out his own blast against Goku. He watched it get batted aside and followed up quickly with a flurry of punches.

_This is actually pretty good!_ Goku thought, grinning right back at Reizo. He dodged the flood of blows and pushed forward with his own fists, forcing Reizo to jump back until his back was almost to the wall. Goku jumped over another blast that was sent his way and he rammed his forearm against Reizo's, making the red alien's back slam against the wall, almost cracking it. "How's that?" He answered, pressing Reizo harder into the wall, "Need more?"

There was a small pause and Goku was momentarily confused at the lack of action. _Crap!_ He thought, _Maybe I've done too much? But how?_ Reizo's energy was spiking, still on the rise. It wasn't being suppressed or anything, but it was warping…somehow differently than before and Goku jumped back, "You ok?"

Reizo shook his head, and rubbed his forearm, "Sorry about that…something went through my head. Got distracted." He raised his arms again, a grin taking over the sheepish look he had a moment ago. "Come on!"

Goku grinned and jumped forward again, giving Reizo the chance to get away from the wall. They exchanged blows and dodged. He was actually having fun! It had been a while since he had fought anyone and even though he was nowhere near his maximum, it was still refreshing to go up against a real opponent. The excitement was building in his limbs and soon, Goku was almost panting wildly. He couldn't help it, the rush was so exhilarating and he had to concentrate harder than ever to keep his power from rising. But it was so difficult and keeping it suppressed was becoming harder and harder with each second.

Even Reizo looked like he was enjoying it and his eyes were dilated, mouth turned upwards in a smile. His face was flushed and his hair was in a mess around his red face. He was panting, shoulders moving up and down with each breath. There was a small trickle of blood running down his lip. Reizo wiped it away, grinning wildly at Goku as he charged another ball of energy in his hand and aimed it towards him.

There was an energy coming towards them, but it wasn't one he recognized so Goku didn't pay too much mind. His eyes were focused on the energy that was gathering in Reizo's gloved hand, bright and glowing violently. _Bring it,_ he thought, watching Reizo move and toss the ball of energy towards him.

In his excitement, his impatience to fight and meet his opponent in an exchange of blows, Goku's hand moved almost without his permission, gathering a ball of energy and tossing it to meet Reizo's halfway. It overpowered his opponent's, breaking Reizo's energy ball into bits and racing towards the red alien.

_Oops, that might have been too much!_ Goku thought, but before he could move, Reizo had swatted it away. However, it didn't sail towards the training room walls. Instead, it sailed right through the window and right at the person who traveling past it!

_Oh no!_ Goku's body moved faster than Reizo could see and he rushed through the doors before the ball collided with the unfortunate passerby. Goku barely had time to see the flash of green hair before his hand sped out in a blur to grab the cape hanging off the alien's back. With a burst of strength and speed, he hauled the alien away, sending him to the floor and stuck out his other hand to intercept the energy ball. He crushed it in his palm, letting the energy dissolve between his fingers with a relieved sigh.

_That was close!_ He turned to the man on the floor with an embarrassed look on his face. "Hahaha, I'm really sorry about that!"

The alien sat on the floor, legs slightly spread and on his elbows. He was a light green color and his yellow eyes were wide with surprise, his bright viridian hair tousled around his pretty face.

Goku held out his hand, "Yeah, I let that sort of get away from me. Lucky you were wearing that cape huh?" _Looks like a girl._ He thought, but something kept his mouth shut from saying _that_ thought.

The green man shook his head, pushing his hair back into place behind his ear. He extended his hand, taking Goku's and allowing him to be pulled up. "I am well, thank you." He fixed his braid and adjusted his cape before focusing his eyes on Goku's black ones. "What's your name?"

"I'm Oroitz!" Goku said energetically, rubbing the back of his head, "What's yours?" _That is a man's voice, _he thought once he heard the aristocratic timbre echo through the hallway.

The alien floundered for a moment as if he were confused. "I'm-"

"Oroitz!" Reizo shouted behind him, and Goku turned to see his orange haired sparring partner shaking his hands in alarm. Almost as if he were trying to say something, but he quieted when the green haired alien held up a pink cloth-covered arm.

"I'm Zarbon; surely you know who I am?" He said, raising a delicate green eyebrow in question.

"Um…" Goku began, almost feeling Reizo's energy swirling in alarm behind him. _Why though? _"Not…really haha." He answered with a soft laugh, "I, uh, hope that doesn't offend you. I'm sort of new here."

There was a moment of awkward silence, with Goku simply rubbing his head and Reizo's energy going insane behind him. The man named Zarbon was staring at him like he was being evaluated. Then he smirked, thin lips quirking upwards in an amused manner. "Well, no matter. Thank you…Oroitz." He said, flicking a few strands of hair back to reveal a light purple earring. He turned a sharp look onto Reizo, who immediately stiffened up like a rod. "Perhaps you should be more careful the next time yes? He narrowed his eyes at Reizo and Goku's eyes widened.

_Reizo's gonna get in trouble! _He thought, _and it was my fault too!_ He grinned in apology, "Zarbon-" he started and Reizo's energy spiked in panic again, but Goku ignored it in favor of stepping in front of the shaking alien to stand before Zarbon, "Don't blame him, it's my fault really! I sort of didn't pay attention." He brought his hands together before the bewildered alien, "I promise it won't happen again!"

"Oroitz!" Reizo hissed, but a look from Zarbon silenced him once more. He shut up, meekly looking down at the red floor of the ship.

Zarbon stepped forward towards Goku with a small smile, his dark golden eyes almost twinkling with laughter, "Make sure it doesn't. I happen to _like_ my hair unsigned, thank you." The look in his eyes said he was expecting something though Goku couldn't really tell what exactly.

"Well…" He laughed nervously, stepping around to look at the long braid hanging from Zarbon's back, "It still looks very pretty. And unsigned! Much better than my hair, that's for sure!" He grabbed his own pony tail, wincing as he felt strands out of place everywhere. He pouted, pulling at one of the spikes, "Yeah, _much_ better than my hair." His eyes almost crossed as he tried to examine the few strands that were hanging before his face.

There was the sound of laughter and Goku uncrossed his eyes from where he was staring at his bangs to see Zarbon's eyes closed in express amusement. His green head was tilted back and his shoulders were almost shaking with barely contained hilarity.

Goku looked at Reizo in an attempt to glean information only to see his orange haired friend look like he was having his soul forcibly sucked out. His eyes were wide with terror and his spine was stiffer than a rod with muscles tensed and mouth set in a grim line. His eyes were darting back and forth from the laughing Zarbon to Goku and back.

_What's wrong?_ Goku thought, tilting his head in confusion. _He's laughing, that's not bad right?_ His only answer was in the form of an urgent glare and the uncontrollable swirl of energy.

Zarbon stopped giggling and shook his head when his scouter beeped. He pressed two long, thin fingers against the scouter and there was the sound of someone speaking. Zarbon nodded, eyes looking upwards before he took his fingers off and focused on Goku again. "Carry on, "he said finally, "And make sure this doesn't happen again, Oroitz."

"Yes sir!" Reizo said, and Goku nodded, waving at Zarbon's back as he walked away, "Bye Zarbon!"A few moments later he was out of sight, his cape fluttering behind him down the hallway.

There were a pair of hands on Goku's shoulders and they forcefully whirled him around to face Reizo's terrified eyes. "Oroitz! Are you _insane?_" He shook Goku violently, making the Saiyan feel dizzy.

Placing his hands on Reizo's shoulders, he urged the slightly shorter alien to stop shaking him so he could answer, "Why? What happened?"

Reizo let go of him with a disbelieving sigh and slumped against the window, using the metal rim to keep himself up as his knees almost buckled beneath him. "You…you really don't know do you?" He asked, wide yellow eyes meeting Goku's and laughing breathlessly when the taller man shook his head. "That was _Zarbon._ Lord Frieza's right hand man? His Lieutenant?" He almost shouted the last word in emphasis.

_Eep! So that's why his energy was going crazy. Wow, so that was Frieza's right hand guy huh?_ "I…I like his hair." He offered weakly, holding his hands up and giggling. He wasn't really frightened of Frieza so Zarbon wasn't exactly intimidating either. _Especially with that cape and face. He looked too pretty to be a soldier._ Just as he opened his mouth to voice his thoughts, Reizo held up a gloved hand while the other pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Don't say it," he ordered, "I know what you're thinking. Don't say it. I really, _really_ like my head attached to my shoulders."

Shutting his mouth, Goku pursed his lips and waited for Reizo's energy to abate slightly. "You ok?" He asked, stepping forward to place a hand on Reizo's shoulder.

"Yeah…" Reizo gasped, "I'm fine. For a second though, I thought I was going to die. And anyways," he glared at Goku, "how do you not know who he is?"

"Um…I…don't know?" He giggled nervously again, trying to quell the shorter man's rising energy again. "Hey, how about we continue our spar! That'll definitely get your mind off what just happened!"

Reizo slumped back again, letting his head roll back on his shoulders and breathed deeply. A moment passed then he stood on his feet again, shooting Goku a wry smile, "No, I'm good. I think I'm going to head to the showers."

Trying to hide his disappointment, Goku grinned again, remembering Ula. _Oh yeah! I have to visit her and see how she's doing. I can tell she's already at the Med Bay._ He shivered at the thought of the doctor and those horrible, _horrible_ needles. "I know it's going to sound crazy, "he started, catching up to Reizo who had started walking, "But I'm going to the Medical Bay."

"What?" Reizo asked, confused, "Why-oh... That Yerevjin." The way he spat out the last word almost made Goku stop in his tracks. Reizo's energy was swirling again, but it was so small and happened only for such a short instance that Goku thought that he had imagined it for a moment. "You're lucky it's alive. Lord Frieza doesn't usually take kindly to targets being brought to the ship." He turned his head, eyes focused down the hallway towards the Med Bay. They were narrow, golden eyes that were wide with fear only moments were now slits of something Goku didn't really understand. Maybe it was the leftover panic from the incident with Zarbon.

"I'm just glad she's ok." He said to Reizo, trying to dissipate the strange tension that was building, "I'm going to go see if she's holding up alright. After all, I _did_ bring her into this mess." Suddenly, Goku realized he was walking in the wrong direction. "Oh yeah! The med bay is down that way! I'll catch you later!" With a wave, he took off in the other direction, not noticing the frown forming on Reizo's face as he left.

_Oh boy I hope she's not too mad,_ Goku thought as he sped off towards her energy. It was much calmer now thought it still wavered nervously. He was getting closer and despite himself, Goku shivered when he caught the scent of antiseptic and the rancid stench of chemical compounds. It was that strange, hospital like scent that felt strangely clean but at the same time, somehow nauseating. Needless to say, the food in his stomach was already starting to churn alarmingly. He ignored it somehow and approached the glass doors to the Medical Bay.

The doctor that had administered to him the first day caught sight of Goku and his face immediately dropped. His gloved hands were in the air, mouth open and eyes wide in surprise as he waved Goku away.

With a small, uneasy laugh Goku waved back and edged closer to the door. Bringing a gloved finger forward, he tapped against the glass as a modified hello. He actually didn't want to go in there if he didn't have to and from the look of the panicked doctor that was slowly backing away; he wasn't wanted in there anyway.

"Um," Goku started, speaking through the glass door, "Is Ula there?" He made the shape of her head with his hands but all he was met with was a confused look and the doctor raised an eyebrow.

_How do I describe her?_ But while he was thinking of how to ask the man again, Ula's golden face popped up beside the doctor. _Oh hey! There she is!_ "Hi Ula!" He said, waving a gloved hand at her.

Her face instantly brightened, mouth twisting up in a smile and eyes opening wide in pleasant surprise. She was no longer topless with the greenish material sticking to her thin legs. She was wearing a coat similar to the good doctor's. It was white, similar to a trench coat with sleeves that stopped at the elbows. She wore no gloves; only green armbands for there were no hand wear that would adjust to her webbed fingers. Underneath the white doctor's coat, she wore the black one piece spandex that was a staple of Frieza's men and white boots.

She rushed forward through the glass doors and gripped Goku in a tight hug, almost choking him with its intensity, "Oroitz! I was so scared!"

Goku pulled away, hands on her shoulders as he examined her face. She looked tired, thought she was brighter than before and her energy had stopped wavering so much. Her hands were still gripping his biceps, squeezing softly and her voice dropped to a whisper, "I met Frieza."

Goku's eyes widened and he leaned forward to hear her, "What was it like? Is he scary?"

"You mean you haven't met him before?" She asked, looking over her shoulder to see the doctor staring at them suspiciously.

_Well…I have._ He grinned at her, _I killed him too._ "No, I haven't seen him yet. Did he hurt you?" He asked, eyes narrowing, _I could only feel her energy. I can't tell if they did anything to her or not._

Thankfully, his fears were quenched when Ula shook her head and looked down, "No. He was so scary though…and-"She looked up moving her hands over his head to make a triangle, "There was someone else there. A boy with weird…what do you call that stuff on your head?"

_Haha, I think she means Vegeta._ He giggled and let her touch his head, "It's called hair. It's sort of like your um…" he touched her frill, "Like decoration. It doesn't really serve a purpose."

"Hey!" She admonished, looking away and folding her arms indignantly, "How do you know it doesn't serve a purpose?" When Goku started to apologize she giggled, "Anyway, yeah there was someone else there with lots and lots of hair!"

Goku grinned, shaking his head at the thought of the miniature Vegeta. _His hair is probably as tall as he is!_ He giggled, knowing deep down inside that he shouldn't be having such a laugh at the expense of the tiny prince but he couldn't help it. And looking at the grinning Yerevjin, she was feeling better as well.

"So are you going to show me the place?" She asked, "I don't even know where I am and I'm actually pretty hungry."

Goku nodded, "Sure. Is he ok?" He waved at the doctor. "Don't want to get you in trouble. I've probably already done enough."

Ula turned back towards the medical bay, "Sure, give me a moment Oroitz. I'll talk to him. I'm sure he'll understand." She jogged back in and said something to the man, pointing at Goku who grinned sheepishly at them. The doctor's eyes flicked back and forth between Ula and Goku, slowly backing away from the doors again. His mouth opened and closed quickly, and then his gloved hand smoothed over his forehead in defeat.

Ula looked over to Goku, bounding through the doors with a bright smile. "He says to be back within an hour. I have to start working as soon as possible." She walked beside him at his pace; her thin legs moving faster than his and Goku slowed down to let her catch up.

"So," Goku began, pointing down the hallway, "That way is the training halls, I was just there. I was sparring with my team mate when all of a sudden, a guy with really long green hair and a cape walks by just as an energy ball goes crazy-"

With a wild gesture, he posed and Ula grinned as they continued down the hallway toward the cafeteria.


	11. Chance Meetings, Unexpected Realizations

Hi everyone! Thank you for sticking with me so far! There are a few questions I would like to answer before the chapter starts though.

One of the questions asked in the reviews was; Why can't Goku IT to King Kai or Supreme Kai?

The answer would have to lie in the fact that he needs to sense their energy. Right now, Goku is millions of light years away from Earth and according to the Buu Saga (and the Wiki) Goku needs to be able to sense a familiar energy to lock on it before he can IT there. Before his last battle with Buu, he stated that though he could sense Namekian energy, it was too faint for him to grasp onto and could not therefore IT there.(Supreme Kai's instantaneous movement has no such restrictions however.)

Anyways, Enjoy Chapter 11 of; Dream of Yesterday!

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><p>Reizo couldn't help it. He liked Oroitz. Sure, he was a bit green and naïve and overall just a bit slow but he was refreshing. Oroitz was like a cool drink of water in the murky heat of Frieza's ship, not to mention something about the man was <em>odd.<em>

It was like he was hiding something, withholding information but careless of small slips. Reizo and the captain weren't stupid, nor was the rest of the team. There was just something quite off about Oroitz and they all knew it. That strange power, the rising energy levels on their scouters on Vesu and the occasional slip of the tongue all affirmed their suspicions.

No one really believed that Oroitz lost his memory.

_Especially not me._ Reizo thought and stared at the man in question munching away happily on those disgusting meat rations. The rest were sitting beside him, each watching Oroitz eat with a mixture of awe, disgust and no small amount of confusion. It was obvious that Paar, their large orange captain had been strangely silent since their arrival from Planet Yerev; his eyes trained on Oroitz every moment.

The others were no better off, curiosity was eating away at them the same way Oroitz was devouring his food; wholly and utterly. There were a million and one questions Solzt wanted to ask him like, what did that insane power really _mean?_ It happened twice, both with Oroitz in the vicinity the second time being in their presence when he went against Aleix.

Thought it was true that missions were not the best time to observe and note, but those bizarre occurrences were almost _too_ coincidental. Including that slip of the tongue back on Yerev when he introduced himself to Aleix.

G-Oroitz? Not subtle.

The spike in power level? Also not subtle.

He was a fool to think that no one would notice.

_And the training hall yesterday…we passed by that Saiyan like he was the plague. Oroitz, just who are you?_ Reizo wondered, leaning his head against his palm.

The sound of meat being ripped apart quieted and Reizo broke out of his thoughts to look at the man in question. Finally, he had noticed their silence and was staring at them with that wide-eyed look that practically screamed unspoiled innocence. Just how did someone like that even survive?

"What's wrong guys?" He asked, pushing away the greens on his plate with his fork. He licked the corners of his lips to lap up the last pieces of meat and juices that he hadn't swallowed. The man certainly ate like a Saiyan, but he had no tail.

And his power level was leagues above any Saiyan Reizo or the others ever met.

Paar grunted, holding up a hand to silence Letifer who had opened his mouth to ask something. He stared down Solzt as well who looked like he was about to provoke Oroitz by saying something that would no doubt irk him. "We need to talk Oroitz."

There it was Reizo thought, that momentary slip on Oroitz's face that told him all they needed to know. The man might be lying, but he was not very skilled at it and his body and mouth often betrayed him.

Oroitz was floundering, Reizo could tell. He hadn't survived on Frieza's ship this long just because he had a strong arm and good looks. The missions were usually the least dangerous battlefields, he had come to realize. Reizo had learned one or two things working in Frieza's army, like when to speak, when to hold one's tongue and most importantly, when to back down.

Oroitz had none of these things. He was like a walking minefield, saying whatever he thought and following his own sense of moral judgment without any thought to the team or the consequences in general, the Zarbon incident a glaringly obvious example. Oroitz had all the traits of someone too overconfident in their powers and on the path of inevitable destruction caused by blinding arrogance.

But…Oroitz _wasn't_ overconfident. _He's just a living contradiction,_ Reizo thought and watched Oroitz's eyes quickly flick over to the door. _Looking for an escape route? You're not subtle…and I think you know it too._

"Haha," Oroitz started, pushing away his tray, "What about?" There was a nervous grin plastered all over his face and his shoulders has tensed, barely, but enough for someone as observant as Reizo to notice.

Reizo quickly looked over at the others and could see their eyes were focused on him as well, their keen eyes observing every movement that Oroitz made. Even Letifer, the group's resident clown despite the scary countenance and nightmarish eyes, had stilled and was no longer trying to make jokes; waiting for Paar to speak.

Paar sighed, pushing away his own tray and looking as if he were trying to find the right words to say. Words that would probably push Oroitz to make him reveal a bit without outright alarming him but that was no easy task and Reizo was glad the job didn't fall on him because damn it, he liked the lying bastard.

With an internal chuckle at the thought, he waited and tried to predict what Paar was going to ask only to be completely surprised along with the rest of the team when the captain finally spoke, "That Yerevjin…Why did you do it?"

The question hadn't only taken Reizo and the team by surprise and from the looks of it, Oroitz had been expecting a completely different question. His shoulders slumped in relief and his facial muscles relaxed just the slightest bit, enough to make it apparent that he thought it was safe. Oroitz may have thought he was out of the fire but in reality, he was waltzing straight into the oven.

He scratched his head, looking down at the table with head tilted as if he were really pondering the question. "Well, she's useful right? I mean and we need staff after…after Vegeta." He looked lost for a moment, trying to think up another reason that avoided the most obvious one; his weakness.

"You're lying." Paar said bluntly and the statement caught Oroitz off guard. Oroitz's black eyes flicked to Reizo, looking for help but he just shook his head slightly. He couldn't get caught in the crossfire, even if he _did_ like him. He had already risked his own ass back on Yerev, standing up for Oroitz when he wanted to rescue that infernal Yerevjin.

"I'm not! Really!" Oroitz laughed again, and Solzt rolled his eyes, interrupting him before he continued with his lackluster deception.

"Shut up," he almost shouted, only the arm Lantern laid on his shoulder stopped him from standing up and punching Oroitz straight in the jaw, "We already know you're lying. Why don't you just admit it? You were too much a pussy to kill the bitch_."_

_Way to screw that up Solzt. _Reizo rolled his eyes; the white haired idiot really had no idea how to do damage control. If Oroitz grabbed him by the next and put him in his place again, Reizo would definitely not object.

"Killing someone who is defenseless is not a weakness Solzt." Oroitz murmured, not rising to the bait. The pony-tailed alien just sighed, rubbing his head in exasperation, "I wanted to save someone if I could. What's wrong with that?" He looked down at his gloved hands like he was seeing something there.

Letifer laid a clawed hand on Oroitz's shoulder, "You know that's not it Oro." The large blue reptilian alien tapped his fingers against the table, "It's that you don't think about what you're doing before you do it."

"You ignore the consequences of your actions." Lantern added, "You were lucky that the Captain and Reizo had stood up for you when you confronted Aleix."

"And it's not going to happen again," Paar warned, voice lowering to a threatening timbre. He looked seriously at Oroitz, reptilian mouth turned downwards in a frown that was meant to warn. "Neither Reizo or I will do that again. Do you understand?" He turned his blue eyes to Reizo to drive in the warning like a stake to the heart.

Reizo nodded in understanding.

Oroitz looked lost again, like he was defeated. Fists clenched against the table his eyes were cast downward at the floor, but not really seeing it. "I…" he started hesitantly, bringing his head up to meet Paar's eyes, "I understand." Letting out a breath, he sat back with a slight frown.

But Paar wasn't done, the examination had just started and the heat was just barely starting to simmer. Reizo was not envious of Oroitz; Paar was a jackhammer of an interrogator and there was no stopping him once he started. Trying to hide anything was useless, Reizo knew; he'd gone through the process himself.

"Now," The captain started, "about that power level. The one you told us you don't know anything about? Explain please."

The others were definitely interested now; staring at Oroitz with an intensity that made the man look panicked and flattered at the same time. But thought Oroitz was usually talkative and open with information, his mouth clamped shut now. "I…don't know."

"You're lying again." Paar said and it was clear that his patience was wearing thin. The captain wasn't a cruel man, he wasn't trying to make Oroitz uncomfortable or wheedle dark and dirty secrets but when someone who is only supposed to have a power level of 15,000 suddenly powers up to 19,000? Time for questions.

_That ability to raise your power level is rare too,_ Reizo glanced over Oroitz and his fingers twitched, wanting to press the scouter sitting on his ear. Just how much Oroitz was was hiding in there anyways?

"It just…I…" Oroitz began but Lantern interrupted,

"That kind of power could greatly increase the speed which we finish our missions." The rest of them fell silent, and Reizo knew that Oroitz had kept that kind of power under wraps to avoid killing for as long as he could.

_Damned Yerevjin is a sign,_ Reizo thought vehemently, remembering the thing's disgustingly far apart eyes and the sickly urine-like color of her skin. Why would Oroitz save such a creature?

Imagine their surprise when it turned out that it was a _female._ How could Oroitz even tell? He even made friends with it, touring the ship with it after their spar yesterday, showing it around like they were best friends or something. The way that bitch looked at him with doe eyes and all victim-like attachment made Reizo sick.

_Must be the guilt,_ he reassured himself. _It has to be, why else would he be so nice?_ But then again, Oroitz was nice to everyone regardless of who they were. Even to the point of being stupidly suicidal. It would have been wrong to think that the man had stood up against Zarbon for Reizo simply because he wanted to pay him back for siding with him back on Yerev. No, he had just done it because…because, _hell_- Reizo didn't know.

"I'm sorry." Oroitz offered to Paar and exhaled through his mouth in defeat, lips closing in a thin line that looked strange on his face. "Anything else?" Oh that wasn't good, he was closing himself off and if Paar didn't make the next words out of his mouth the right ones, there was a good chance that Oroitz would completely detach himself and another Solzt was _not_ what they needed.

"Nothing." Paar said finally, deciding to end the examination when he realized the same thing Reizo did only a moment before. Weird, wasn't Paar going to ask about the name slip? Reizo guessed not, it would be too dangerous; one wrong sentence risked never getting any information out of him at all.

The Captain looked strange for a moment, like he was trying to say something that would relieve the tension again but he was cut short when Oroitz looked up, grim face gone, replaced with a smile that was absolutely _blinding._

"That's good!" He said brightly, rubbing his head, "I promise I'll be a better team-mate. I'm just a little slow sometimes, I know." Leaning back, he clapped a hand on his stomach and let out a satisfied breath, completely oblivious to the wide-eyed and slack jawed faces staring back at him. "That was good food huh?"

_Either he is completely stupid or a genius._ Reizo thought, shaking his head with a mental laugh. The others were similarly confounded, unable to understand such a quick change of mood…or the man behind them.

"Only you have the ridiculous ability to be able to find anything 'good' in the meat rations we are served. It baffles me actually, your talent to be able to stomach anything that goes down your throat. I-"

"Lantern," Reizo started.

"Yes, yes I'll shut up. You don't have to say it." Lantern interrupted before the others could join in. "Really." He huffed, looking just a little bit annoyed, "One would think I wasn't part of this team!"

"Guys," Oroitz whined, "Lets goooo! I'm getting hungry again and smelling all this food isn't helping!" He was already heading towards the door, a pleading look in his eyes and his squad just exchanged looks of mild disgust at the prospect of rations.

With a sigh, Reizo got to his feet, reading to follow the damned man out of the cafeteria. Hell, maybe they could spar again and this time nobody would be around to interrupt them. But it seemed his hopes of a rematch with Oroitz were fruitless because in the distance of the hallway, he saw the familiar disgustingly colored face of the Yerevjin.

What was her name again?

"Hey Ula!" Oroitz cried out, waving at it. Bouncing away from the group, he strode to it with a bright grin and wide eyes. "What's up?"

"Nothing!" the creature said, rolling up the sleeves of her medical coat. "I'm on break, figured I would come find you."

It was smiling at Oroitz and Reizo felt his eye twitch at the sight. Disgusting. Even worse that Oroitz would fall for such an act! There was a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Letifer raising a nonexistent eyebrow, "You ok there Reizo?"

Nodding, Reizo brushed off the hand and turned away from the creature that had monopolized Oroitz's attention. "You want to spar Leti?" He shot a look at the others who were still hovering around, "What about you guys?"

Paar shook his head, rubbing one of his horns, "Can't. I have to finish up some reports and finalize the next mission down at the docking bay."

Lantern also declined, saying he had a book to finish reading (he had forgotten to take it along in the pod during the last mission). Where did he even _get_ books here anyways? Whatever, as long as Letifer and Solzt were coming along, he didn't care.

Not even if Oroitz wasn't going to tag along. Anyways, Reizo thought; he would get stronger while Oroitz went soft and mushy with his stupid fish friend. With a small exhalation, he followed Letifer and Solzt to one of the training halls, the one furthest away from the Medical Bay.

His white haired squad mate and Letifer were already readying themselves, dropping down to a fighting crouch.

_Good._ _At least I have someone to beat my frustrations out on._ He thought and launched himself at them.

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><p>"Why do you walk strangely all the time?" Ula asked, staring down at Goku's boots. She scrunched her forehead when he jumped away.<p>

"What?" He asked, wide eyed and alarmed. "What do you mean?" He tried to avoid looking down between the gaps of his leg and boot to look at the communicator that was safely tucked there. If he looked down, she would know and he couldn't have that.

"Yeah," She continued, walking with him at his pace, almost scurrying. "You always walk like you have rocks stuck in your um…" She waved her webbed fingers, snapping them and trying to find the word.

"Boots?" Goku offered, and she nodded, "Yes. Your boots. What's wrong?"

"Oh um," He began, trying quickly to find a suitable excuse for his strange walking. So it was that noticeable huh? That wasn't good because he had been under the impression that he was walking normally. Yeah, the metal bit against his ankle from time to time, but he had no idea it was that obvious. "Well I was injured back on Yerev I guess…" The tone started off bright but his voice quickly dropped when he remembered she was a Yerevjin. Instantly, he quieted and avoided her eyes.

"Well," She began and smiled, breaking through the dreary atmosphere that was starting to settle around them, "If you want, I can check it in the med-"

"NO!" he screeched, jumping back to flatten himself against the wall, leaving Ula look stare at him with wide eyes as if he just said the ship was under attack. "I mean, haha," He waved his hands at her, shaking his head the entire time; "I'm really, really bad with doctors."

Ula frowned, small golden mouth turning downwards in a disbelieving pout, "Is that why Saruvel backs away from the doors every time you come around?"

"Who?"

"Saruvel," Ula clarified, the medical technician I work with.

_Oh…_Goku smiled, moving away from the wall and started walking with her again, "Well, the first day I came here I had to get a," he gulped and shivered at the memory, "_shot._ With _needles."_ He almost squeaked in fear, managing to break away from the spine-melting terror when Ula giggled. Throwing her a pout, he crossed his arms and looked away, "Well if you're going to be like that I'm not going to tell you!"

"That's mean!" Ula said, mock punching him in the arm. He staggered back, grasping his shoulder as if she mortally wounded him. She laughed and rolled her violet eyes, not believing it in the least.

As they walked down the hallway and Goku told her all about the first day on the ship, a familiar figure stood in the distance and he recognized the energy. Not that he really needed to rely on his senses when the figure was walking towards them, cape fluttering and braid swishing behind his back.

"Hi Zarbon!" He said and the alien met him with hazel-gold eyes, raising a thin green eyebrow. Quickly, Goku remembered that he was Frieza's right hand man and floundered, trying to understand if he had to bow or anything. Finally, he bent slightly at the waist and saw Ula follow his example.

Quick girl.

"I mean-"he amended and cast his eyes to the floor, "Hello sir!" Ula echoed him, her voice wavering just a tiny bit.

Zarbon stopped right in front of them and looked them over, "So I see your friend has educated you?" He tilted his head in an arrogant manner, earring glinting against his pale green cheek. Looking down, he focused his golden eyes on Ula who made a breathless whimpering noise in her throat, hands stiffening by her sides. "You're new, I remember. " Gold eyes flicked to Goku, who had raised his head to see Zarbon staring at him intently, "You were there on Yerev, correct Oroitz?"

Goku nodded, "Yes sir."

"As I recall, I was informed that _you_ had brought her on board." He crossed his cloth covered arms over his chest before flicking his braid back.

With a wince Goku _knew_ was all too noticeable, he managed to stop himself from sighing out loud. This was the second time he was having this conversation in the span of half an hour. "Yeah." He admitted, leaning back up, sore from having to angle himself awkwardly.

Zarbon said nothing, merely staring at them both like they were going through an examination. That thin mouth was set in a neutral line and his face was carefully schooled to the point that Goku had no idea what he was thinking. There was an exhaled breath and silence that dragged on for a minute or so before Zarbon finally spoke, "I see. You are very lucky that Lord Frieza decided to be generous."

It sounded like a provocation, and had Goku not been Goku, he probably would have taken it as one. But as it stood, he merely grinned, "Yeah! I know. Ula does too, right?" He nudged the Yerevjin beside him and finally she stood straight but avoided meeting Zarbon's gaze by directing her eyes to the piece of jewelry that dangled on his forehead.

"Yes sir." She said meekly, "Very lucky."

There was another moment of silence and Goku really wanted to ask if they could just _go_ already but he didn't want to risk angering Frieza's right hand man so he simply stood and waited. Ula was still fidgeting beside him and he could practically feel her nervous energy pouring from every inch of her skin. She didn't like Zarbon that was for sure. It made sense, Goku thought, because as beautiful as Zarbon was, he had the impression that the man was colder than ice. Zarbon reminded Goku of snow.

"Continue," Zarbon spoke and interrupted Goku's wandering thoughts, "and keep the energy balls to a minimum." He smirked as if it were an inside joke, and Goku grinned, unable to help remembering Zarbon's confused look as he lay on the floor, but he didn't say it out loud.

"Sure!" He simply replied, waving as the green haired alien walked away, "See ya!"

Once Zarbon was out of sight, Goku finally felt Ula relax. Fingers unclenched, the muscles in her jaw weren't as tense as before and even her frill that had stiffened in Zarbon's presence finally drooped again. "I don't like him." She whispered, head still looking down.

Goku was unsure of what to say to reassure her. It seemed pointless anyways and the good mood that had been permeating from them had definitely chilled, like air conditioner in a lukewarm room. "Ula?" He ventured after a moment but she simply shook her head,

"I have to get back to the bay."

"I'll walk you," he offered, not wanting to just leave her alone when her energy was still shaking like she was feeling sick. She declined however with a shake of her frilled head and walked towards the bay with a weak wave and downcast eyes, leaving him there to stand in the hallway alone.

_I wonder what happened._ Goku thought, looking towards the direction Zarbon had gone. Well, asking him was out of the question and Ula didn't seem to want to talk about it. Maybe it was a Yerevjin thing, maybe not. But now he was all alone and before he could think about what to do, he remembered the communicator in his boot.

That's right! He had a chance now, to go down to the docking bay and see if he could weasel some information out of the technicians before it got too suspicious. With a bright grin and high hopes, Goku nearly skipped down the hallway towards the elevator and pulled out his card, ready to enter the pin that would send him down one level.

Though the day had started off quite grim in the cafeteria, maybe it wouldn't end as badly as he thought.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Accessing Id: 676489-4658<em>**

_Name: Oroitz_

_Age: Unknown_

_Hair: Black_

_Eyes: Black_

_Home Planet: Vegeta (Status-Destroyed)_

_Race: Saiyan_

_Height: 5'7"/170 cm (Galactic Standard)_

_Weight: 180 lbs/81.82 Kg (G-S)_

_Power Level: 15,000 (C-Class)_

_Diseases/Illnesses: None_

_Squad Captain: Paar (Reassigned from Quadrant Zero-A)_

_Log History:_

_Vesu-CBO: Complete_

_Time Limit: 5 Days GS (Complete)_

_CO-OP: None_

_Casualties: None_

_Yerev-CBO: Complete _

_Time Limit: Seven Days GS (Complete-Early)_

_CO-OP: Captain Aleix (Quadrant 2-A)_

_Casualties: Second Lieutenant Saga (2-A)_

_**Log End**_

* * *

><p>Zarbon's hand stilled over the keys, eyes glancing over the information he had brought up on one of the main computers near the control room on the third level of the ship. He read the information again, trying to make sense of what he was reading.<p>

_Race: Saiyan_

This was interesting. More than interesting actually, it was completely unexpected.

_Power Level: 15,000 (C-Class)_

That was just ridiculous. It couldn't be. No Saiyan had _that_ kind of power level, it was unthinkable but there it was, staring at him from the screen in italicized green font.

_Race: __**Saiyan**_

Zarbon wracked his brain, sifting through what memories of the man he had but not a single image of a tail came up. No matter how he remembered it, the man had no tail. How was that possible? Didn't those monkeys place huge importance on their tails?

That wasn't it either; it wasn't just the missing tail that was strange. Surely he knew that Prince Vegeta was on board, after all, Frieza made it no small secret that the miniature monkey prince was his latest trophy. If so, why was he not in their company?

That power level though, it was enormous for a Saiyan. Did Frieza know he had four Saiyans on board? Actually, a more prudent question would be should he _tell_ Frieza that he had four Saiyans on board, one of which had a massive power level? That was a difficult dilemma, on one hand; he didn't _have_ to tell Frieza. On the other hand, it would be a risk not to.

Zarbon's head suddenly flicked up, green strands of hair flying in a graceful arc over his forehead. Wait, why was he even considering not telling Frieza? For that matter, why was he hesitating? Oroitz was a Saiyan, a mere monkey. Different, yes, but a monkey nonetheless.

With a sigh, he pressed several keys on the keypad and the screen flickered, Oroitz's data disappearing into the vast banks of the mainframe's network. With a long drawn out breath, Zarbon turned away and walked out of the control room, waving at the technicians to get back to work. Just because he was here didn't mean they were allowed to slack off.

He made the decision as he walked off towards his quarters.

If Frieza asked, then Zarbon would tell him. If the topic came up, he would mention it to his lord but otherwise, he would keep the information to himself for the moment. What was important was that Oroitz continue working for them.

It was unlikely that he would rise up against them and even if he did, Zarbon's own power level was vastly superior to his but he was sure Oroitz wouldn't rebel. The man was strangely docile for a Saiyan and Zarbon could tell since he had dealt with many of them before, Vegeta and his crew notwithstanding. For all purposes, Oroitz may be a Saiyan in blood but that savage personality that was a staple of Saiyan.

He was missing the bloodlust and battle fervor in his black eyes; they were nothing like those of Vegeta's and his stupid men's.

For a _Saiyan_ to _rescue_ someone from a planet they had to purge? Unheard of. It was a mistake, it had to be.

Maybe it was a malfunction in the mainframe, or an error from the lower strata of the engineers and receptionists? Those fools rarely ever did their job to satisfaction anyways; he'd have to go check to make sure. Maybe even have Oroitz retested at the Medical Bay, just to set the record straight and get that stupid buzzing out of his head. For that matter, maybe he'd go and have the blood re-tested right now and settle the matter.

He absolutely hated being conflicted.


	12. A Fantastic New Resource!

Hi everyone! I'm glad to see someone noticed the muffin button! (I love the abridged series so much!)

Also, as a note I would encourage people to read this at either 3/4 or 1/2 view as I've specifically placed spacing and paragraphs for every new action or character. I've noticed that in full view, the spacing becomes a bit strange and a little difficult to read. But of course, that's not the same for everyone.

Anyways, here is Chapter 12 of: Dream of Yesterday!

* * *

><p>When one of the technicians at the docking bay asked for help moving panels around, Goku realized that he was making a name for himself on Frieza's ship. It wasn't just the flawless history logs either (Goku had avoided looking at that as much as possible), people who weren't in the line of battle knew who he was and it became a common occurrence for his scouter to buzz against his ear when one of the lower personnel needed his help.<p>

With a sigh, he pried the panel out of place and carefully made sure not to jostle the wires inside. The thin, green amphibianoid kneeling beside him was murmuring instructions, pushing him aside when the job was done with a small wave and thumbs up.

He knew what _that_ meant! His stomach grumbled in response, and he walked away knowing that his ID card would have several more rations than normal by the end of the day. Helping people sure paid off, he didn't understand _why_ no one else wanted to do this stuff, it certainly kept his stomach full! b

His scouter buzzed again and he pressed the button, hearing Lantern's voice echo through his head, "Oroitz? Are you there?"

"Yeah Lant. What's up?" He asked, picking up a crate of armor when one of the dock workers motioned to it. Lifting it without any difficulty, he helped stack it at the corner of the room where it would be picked up later and sent to the armory for stocking.

"Well," Lantern began, huffing in that one way that meant he was going to start on a long explanation, "It seems that our presence is required on the third flood in approximately three hours galactic standard. However, it was not revealed to –"

"Shut up Lantern," Reizo's voice interrupted the aliens and there was an indignant sputter at the other end of the scouter. Goku couldn't stifle his laugh, "Hey Reizo. So what's this about meeting at the third floor?"

"I don't know," The red-skinned humanoid's voice rumbled through the scouter and Goku picked up another box, stacking atop the last one.

"I think it's a special mission. Paar's mouth is sealed shut though; apparently it has secret-priority." Reizo continued.

"And it's exciting!" That thin voice could only be Letifer's, "To think! We've been specially chosen for something important!"

"Yes, and you guys better shut up about it. What part of secret do none of you understand? Now stop talking before we get in trouble." Paar's slithering voice cut through their chatter, effectively silencing them all. Once he was out though, there was a moment of silence before Letifer's giggling cut through, "You heard the captain. See you at the Level Two elevator in three hours." Then there was a smell beep and Letifer was gone, leaving only Lantern and Reizo on the line with him.

Lantern spoke then, "I shall take my leave then. Don't say it Reizo or by all the planets in this sector I will kill you in your sleep. Out."

Reizo snickered under his breath over the scouter, "Oroitz, don't be late. You have the shittiest sense of time in the world. Out"

"Gotcha!" Goku answered, rushing forward to catching a falling metal beam before it landed on a small trembling technician. The technician thanked him with a shaking smile, letting Goku help him up and giving him a grateful clap on the shoulder before wobbling away on weak legs.

He placed the beam on the floor, leaning it against the wall in a spot where it wouldn't fall on anyone. Turning, he saw several of the technicians gathered around him and all appraising him with their eyes.

One of them stepped forward, a pudgy yellow man with stubby volcanic ears and three eyes, "What would we do without you Oroitz?"

Feeling a blush spread across his cheeks, Goku rubbed the back of his head and laughed, "Hey! It's no problem for me, Gagu."

Gagu shook his round, stubby head, "Stop being so damn humble! You're a warrior for god's sake! Four months and he hasn't changed a single bit! Well," he turned to the others with a grin, pointing at Goku with his thumb, "I guess that's good news for us huh?"

They nodded, agreeing with him and Goku stepped awkwardly towards the door of the gate that led to the hallway of that floor. "I'm off then, got a call from my Captain. See ya!"

"Be safe you dumb bastard!" One of them yelled after him as he bounded into the hallway.

_Geez, they're so mean!_ Goku thought, grinning despite the jibe. He could deal with the not-so-serious insults if it meant that the favors were paid back in the form of food! What with all the modifications being made to his identification card as well as the abundance of animals on missions, he rarely ever went really hungry anymore.

Well, he was _always_ hungry but at least he hadn't experienced a loss of control like he had back on Vesu. He shivered at the thought, tongue working against the roof of his mouth as if he could still taste blood and fur. With a shake of his head, he pushed those memories out of his mind. There was no point in reliving them. Dumb as he was, even he could see the danger in dwelling on those kinds of memories for too long.

The many faces of the aliens he dodged in the hallway were proof enough; their eyes were hollow and their faces slack like they'd been drugged. Those didn't last long and occasionally there would be a demented scream that would echo throughout the barracks. It didn't take long for them to be silenced and the next day, there would be one less energy signature in the ship that Goku could read. The occurrence actually happened more often than Goku liked and the thoughts would follow him all the way to the pod and back.

The communicator scratched against his ankle and Goku fought not to look down at it. Every time he looked at it, he couldn't help but get just the slightest bit angry.

_Six months,_ he thought with a frown, _Six months here and not a clue on how to fix this!_ He had asked Gagu and the others who owed him favors, but they had stared at the device like it had come from another world. It was even harder trying to find an explanation for what it was, he certainly couldn't say it was from the future but without any information on the damn thing, it was almost impossible to try to fix it!

How does one fix something when they don't know what it's supposed to do? It's like trying to a build a plane without knowing what one is. He brought both hands up to rub his head in frustration, messing up his already shabby pony-tail. Oh! It was just so frustrating, to be completely unknowledgeable in these sorts of things!

If he ever had a chance to talk to Gohan, he would definitely tell him to pursue studying.

Pressing the button on his scouter, Goku spoke into it, "Set alarm, two hours and twenty five minutes. Uh, Galactic Standard."

"Alarm set. Two hours twenty five minutes, Galactic Standard." His scouter replied and the time flashed across the orange screen, several beeps accompanying the voice. Satisfied that he wouldn't be late, Goku waltzed through the hallway, avoiding the onslaught of bodies rushing through the suddenly cramped corridor. Really, the way he had to dodge it was almost like training!

Speaking of training, he really needed to visit the halls! With his scouter beeping constantly, he barely had any time to visit the training halls! He was in sore need of a sparring session with Paar or Lantern. The former was usually busy with work and the latter liked to spend his time with books but if Goku pleaded enough with Lantern, the peachy alien would sometimes indulge him. Otherwise, he was left with Reizo, Solzt and Letifer and even though they were fun to spar against, those three were the weakest of the team and not his first choice of sparring partners.

_Only if Solzt and Reizo felt the same way about it!_ Jeez, those two came after him like no tomorrow. Spar in the morning, spar in the evening! He usually _had_ to escape to the docks to get away from those two. He knew Solzt's reasoning behind the constant requests. _More like demands actually. He's just like Vegeta, wanting to get stronger and better all the time._ But just like Vegeta, Solzt had the same block of anger and bitterness that stopped him from gaining real strength.

But, telling him would be pointless. After all, if Vegeta wouldn't listen to him way back when, why would Solzt? The cold hearted alien needed to _see_ goodness in action to believe it.

And Reizo? Goku had no idea really. Reizo didn't really spar with him to get stronger, he was missing that drive that Solzt had and Goku couldn't even begin to guess at his reasoning. Whatever, it didn't matter and it was better than having no sparring partners at all.

Oh no! _Speaking of Vegeta, gotta hide, gotta hide!_ That was the Saiyan Prince's energy he was feeling, as if the sudden clearing of the halls weren't enough of a signal as to who was coming. The hallway that had been so crowded with aliens was suddenly empty in a matter of seconds.

Well, everyone except for him! He was standing there, sticking out like a sore thumb and his energy was getting closer. He needed to get out of the hallway and fast before Vegeta spotted him, simply lowering his head wouldn't do, not this time around. Quickly, he spotted one of the doors closest to him and he ducked into it like a mouse, pushing aside the aliens that had crowded in there with him.

As expected of the Prince of Saiyans, Vegeta walked by without even throwing anyone a glance. His furious, black gaze was set at a distant point in the hallway and he walked like the royalty he was. Even if Goku hadn't known that Vegeta was a prince by blood, the way his aura flickered around him told everyone that he was nobility. Somehow that aura was strengthened by the presence of his brother and Nappa following him around like bodyguards.

The six months had changed Vegeta thought. Last Goku had seen him; he was but a small child with soft contours and delicate features. His gaze had been harsh, no different than the adult Vegeta but his merciless heart hadn't been completely hardened and the lust for power and revenge hadn't seemed to have taken hold yet.

But now, he was totally different. The Vegeta that walked by was much taller and though he filled his armor, Goku could see bones and the distinct dip of his stomach; a sign of malnutrition.

_He even has hollow spots on the sides of his knees! What has he done to himself? Nappa and Radditz aren't in much better shape either. They look like they haven't eaten in ages._ He looked them over, feeling a strange sensation in his chest, like it was being sucked into a black hole. He had never seen Vegeta look like that, like everything around him didn't matter, not even his own men.

_He kills Nappa on Earth,_ Goku remembered and so even his own race didn't matter to him.

He heard the whispers around him, the ones saying that Vegeta pushed him and his men to the brink of death and starvation, taking mission after mission without rest. No one knew why and Goku couldn't really comprehend either. He had barely understood Vegeta back when they were tentative comrades so this teenager, this…foreign creature walking before him was a complete enigma.

He may look like Vegeta, but he might as well have been a complete stranger to Goku. It would take twenty years before the first real change would take place in his heart. Or at least, Goku hoped it would. Before he knew it, Vegeta and the others were passing by him, almost close enough to see his reflection in their armor. His eyes flicked to Nappa and then Radditz.

_Brother._ He thought, looking over the long haired Saiyan. _I want to talk to you._ His eyes traced over the contours of Radditz's face, seeing his own reflected in his features. But as much as he wanted to reach out and say something, he knew he couldn't. That would be the worst thing he could do, worse than killing Frieza.

But in the blink of an eye they were gone, their bodies already disappearing in the distance of the hallway, their menacing aura already fading away like a memory. A few minutes passed and the hallway began to start buzzing with movement again, the empty space filling with workers and technicians bent on finishing their work.

When the Saiyan group's energy disappeared from the docks, Goku finally moved from the door and barely avoided smacking face first into a group of aliens larger than him.

"It's you." Their captain began, catching Goku by the straps of his armor before he got away. Fierce orange eyes met his black ones and thick, sun-chapped lips grinned at him.

_Oh no,_ Goku thought with a mental sigh of exasperation, _Not these guys!_ "Captain Zarmine," He said, stepping back, "What's up?"

The humanoid female let go of his armor and tilted her hips, placing a gloved arm on her smaller waist. Her hips proclaimed her a female but her small bust marked her a warrior in Frieza's army. His eyes trailed over the black and red armor to settle on top of her light blue skin. Tilting her blond, spiked head, the uneven strands fell over her face and she looked him over with a mixture of interest and disdain. "What are _you_ doing here? I thought your squad's next mission was in two weeks."

"Actually-" Goku started, rubbing his head and slowly inching away, "I have to meet my squad in two hours. What about you? Did you just get back from a mission?"

There was an arrogant grin spreading over her face, small eyes narrowing in self-approval, "As a matter of fact, yes. Perfect marks, no casualties CBO on a25-Grade hostile planet." Behind Zarmine, her squad chortled, shoving each other in what Goku could only assume were congratulations.

No one should congratulate one another after the sheer destruction of a defenseless people and Goku had to suppress the snarl that was rising in his chest. Captain Zarmine and her squad were already at his squad's throats for having a better record and slightly higher power levels. If she found out that they had a special mission today on the third level she would blow a gasket and he would probably end up having to get new armor again.

"Not bad for a group without Saiyans, eh?" Her mirth suddenly died out and her mouth turned downwards in a displeased frown as she looked him over from top of his spikes to his gold-tipped boots. "Only your squad is ahead of us but," her voice dropped to a hiss and had Goku not been a Saiyan, he was sure he wouldn't have heard her speak over the countless aliens moving around them, "not for long." Her bright orange eyes locked onto his and there was the sensation of panic spreading through Goku's abdomen.

_Please don't start a fight, please don't start a fight…_ Only one way to really end it and so he smiled brightly at her, "Well congratulations Zar-uh, Captain Zarmine! I'm going to go now, see ya!" He tried to rush off, but her squad's burly second in command stepped in front of him and his escape route was official blocked.

"Not so fast, Pineapple head." The hulking, bulbous alien was almost twice his width and looked like he was made completely out of rocks. His eyes had no pupils, just narrow white slits on the sides of his sienna colored head. The only thing that looked remotely attractive about him was the bright teal crystals that erupted from the sides of his arms and the back of his head like hair. They pulsed lightly, shedding a small glow on everyone around him.

"Hi Turd, how are you-" Goku began, waving at the large boulder standing in front of him but the alien growled, rocky hands closing into fists twice the size of Goku's head.

"It's TYRD!" He bellowed, knocking nearly everyone back with the force of it. "T-ee-rd you bastard! Get it right!" He raised his massive hand like he was about to strike at him but Zarmine's thick voice cut through him like a sharp blade.

"Tyrd. Stop. You know he's got brains the size of a walnut." She snickered under her breath, orange eyes still glued onto Goku. "It's a wonder he even remembers his own name."

"Yeah!" Goku started, eager to get away from the violent squad, "You know me, dumb as a brick haha! Gotta run!" He pushed through the small gap between the wall and Tyrd, barely managing to get through before he ran into the strong chest of the yellow skinned and blue spotted insectoid,

"Hi Lith, looking good. Byeee!" He clapped a hand on Lith's armored shoulder and took off as fast as he could through the busy corridor before the angry looking bug grabbed him and pounded him into a wall stain.

"We're not done with you yet!" He heard Tyrd yell from behind him but he was already running away, making sure to put as much space between him and Zarmine's squad as he could. For some reason, they really didn't like him or his squad. They were envious of the 'perfect scores' they had on their logs but Goku wasn't proud of the record at all. Killing people was nothing to be proud of and people who took pride in the numbers on their "logs" were scum as far as Goku was concerned.

_You can have first place for all I care,_ he glanced back and was glad to see that they were gone. _I just want to go home._ _But my chances of fixing the communicator are becoming smaller and smaller. What do I do?_

Suddenly, his scouter beeped loudly and Goku answered, "What's up?"

Solzt's arrogant voice came in clipped tones, "Saw Zarmine near you. Anything happen?"

Goku snickered mentally. For all his arrogance and hate, Solzt could never pass up a chance at a challenge. Even if the challenge was bigger than him. Sighing, he answered, "No. I sort of ran away as fast as I could."

There was a sound of disapproval from the other side of the line and Goku could vividly imagine Solzt folding his arms and scowling at an imaginary point in space, "You should have stood up. Why are you such a coward? You know those fuckers need a good beating."

"Well," Goku started, making his way to one of the elevators, "Paar said not to provoke them if possible. Plus, I don't want to fight them if I don't have to." The line went silent and Goku knew that Solzt was gone; probably grumbling to himself about what a disappointment he was to the squad. He didn't really care either way, he was happy he managed to avoid a scuffle with them.

_After all,_ he thought with a grin and entered his pin into the elevator's panel; _I would hate to have to embarrass them._ He managed to shove himself in, somehow fitting into a small corner as other aliens squished in around him. Huh, six months and Frieza's ship was filled to the brim again.

_Better than that desolate emptiness at least,_ he thought wincing and barely avoided being skewered in the face by someone's horns. Skimming his eyes over the small crowd, he could see the battle worn armor and there were even some familiar faces from different squads. Strange if he thought about it, that both Zarmine's _and_ his squad would be on the ship at the same time. Well, it happened once in a while and Paar had strictly ordered them to avoid Zarmine if they could.

"Bitch holds a grudge." Paar had said and rubbed a scar on his neck with a distant look in his blue eyes one day during leave.

"So _that's_ where it's from…" Letifer had noted much to their chagrin when Paar shot him a dirty look. Letifer had shut up then, throwing a sheepish laugh followed by the squad's promise not to engage with Zarmine's squad in they could. A promise everyone wanted to keep except for Solzt, who just wanted to hit everything in sight anyways.

The elevator opened on the second level and he managed to squeeze out before he was trampled. Safely out of harm's way for the moment, he sped over to the Medical Bay to see if he could grab a few spare seconds from Ula's time but just as saw the doors in the distance, his scouter beeped again and Paar's voice sounded in his ear,

"Change of plans everyone. Head to the elevator. Meet me at 2E-3 in five." The number he stated was the elevator located right in the middle of the second level. With one last disappointed look at the glass doors to the Med Bay, Goku turned to hightail straight to the elevators.

_Oh, I didn't even manage to get a bite…_Turning his scouter on, Goku spoke, "Turn off alarm." The scouter verified his decision and he ignored the delicious smells coming from the cafeteria in favor of heading towards the meeting point. His stomach growled in dissent, angry at him for not using the extra rations on his card but pissing Paar off was not the best idea.

_The dinosaur can make even Solzt cower in a corner. Reminds me of Chichi actually but I probably shouldn't say that to his face._ Suddenly, Paar's face was superimposed over Chichi's haircut and he had to stop for a moment and giggle hysterically, drawing more than a few strange looks from the passing crew. He ignored it, humor was rare on Frieza's ship and he had to take whatever laughs he could.

When he could finally separate Paar's face and Chichi's hair enough not to have to stifle himself behind the palm of his hand, Goku began heading towards 2E-3. No sense in being late and proving Reizo right about his sense of time (even though everyone knew it anyway).

He walked briskly, sidestepping aliens and was a bit amused to see several of them clear the way for him. He waved when he recognized several dock workers and minor personnel he had helped out at some point in time. Hey, there were even some soldiers from the time he broke up a minor scuffle in the training room! He waved at them too, grinning back when they greeted him.

The yellowish-gray metal of the hallway eventually led to the elevator Paar had specified and sure enough, his entire squad was already standing there. As he neared, Goku could see that each of them was wearing new sets of armor and everything looked like it had been shined until they could see their own reflections. He looked down at his own armor, glad to have had the foresight of changing it a few days ago.

He winced, _it's not shiny but it's new. I guess going to the third level is a big deal._ He waved to his squad, "Hey guys."

Letifer smiled and waved back while the other grinned at him, save for Paar and Solzt. "Greetings Oroitz." Lantern said, "You are on time I see. I am vaguely surprised, given your talent to completely ignore the passing time."

Paar held up a hand to quiet Lantern before he really started and nodded his orange head towards the elevator, "Let's go." He led them into the elevator, tucking his card underneath his armor. When Solzt opened his mouth to ask something, Paar simply shook his head, a sign for all of them to be quiet until they arrived on the third floor.

Goku was calm though, it was never in him to really question things too much. After all, he was a fighter and he liked to settle things with a good battle and he wasn't altogether great with words anyway. But, he had to admit, he was pretty curious about what they were doing heading to the third level. Wasn't that where all the top guys stayed, like Zarbon and Vegeta? What were they doing going up there?

_Are we getting a __**promotion?**_Goku's eyes widened at the prospect, promotion meant more food! That would be awesome! His stomach growled in excitement and his team mates spared an annoyed look which Goku waved away sheepishly.

They were at the third level then, and Paar stepped out, motioning them to follow. Cautiously, Goku stepped out, sensing neither Vegeta nor Frieza nearby. The Third Level of the ship was vastly different than the second level, almost as if he'd landed on a different planet.

The halls were clearer, that was for one. In actuality, they were nearly completely empty! Goku could sense clusters of people in certain areas but the hallway were absent of people save for the occasional guard or soldier that passed by. The walls were the same color as the first and second level's but there were no windows, probably because they were structural weaknesses.

"Captain Paar." Zarbon's voice suddenly reverberated across the walls and Goku saw a flash of green as Frieza's right hand man stood before them. His energy Goku recognized, but what he didn't know was who the pudgy, rotund alien beside him was.

The pink immediately reminded him of Buu, but where Buu was a remotely attractive humanoid, this fat creature looked more like a blimp. His features were angrier too, framed by blunt spikes at the top of his head. On second thought, the creature reminded him of Tyrd more than Buu. He wore the same armor as Frieza's men and he held himself taller and prouder than the soldiers on the second level.

Zarbon's eyes turned to Goku and he smiled back as a hello before lightly bowing at the waist.

"Oroitz," Zarbon started, much to the surprise of his other team mates, "This is Dodoria." He angled his head towards the pink alien and Goku nodded and turned to him.

"Hello, I'm Oroitz! Nice to meet you." He felt Paar and the others stiffen beside him and quickly, he bowed again, not wanting to get his squad into trouble by accident. He already didn't know what to do when he saw Zarbon, much less this new guy

Dodoria simply nodded, his lips quirked in an amused grin. "Shall we, Zarbon?" The taller alien nodded and led them down the hallway. They passed something that looked like the training rooms, but they were larger and more spacious than the ones on the second level. Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to take a better look because they were entering one of the rooms. Zarbon nodded at Paar and waved his hand, allowing them to enter.

The room itself was quite large; Goku noticed and craned his head up to see the high ceiling. He was wrong about the windows it seemed because the entire wall was glass and looked like it served as an observation deck or something. There were a few tables scattered through the room but the only pieces of decoration were several large computers by the walls.

Dodoria cleared his throat and interrupted the silence, "I'm sure you're wondering why you've been called here. Zarbon do you want to explain or should I?" He turned his round head to Zarbon who simply shrugged, "You can do it Dodoria."

Dodoria nodded and turned back to his squad, "Alright." He focused his eyes on them and began to speak, "You've been called here because your record is excellent."Ambling over to the computer, he flicked black nails over the keys without even glancing at the screen. A moment later, the squad's history log appeared on the screen, several shots of planets and data lists came up as well along with several reports that Goku remembered Paar complaining about.

"You've cleared every one of your assignments with perfect marks, no casualties and most of the time, before the time limit. " He said, nodding his head in approval as he looked over the stats.

Goku ignored the churning nausea in his stomach. He hated that log.

"Needless to say," Zarbon added, coming forward to stand beside the computer with Dodoria, "It's an exceptional record. In the course of six months, your squad has purged eleven planets. We're very, very impressed."

Dodoria flicked several keys and the screens shut off, much to Goku's infinite relief. But the next words were not as calming, "And so is Lord Frieza."

Panic started settling in Goku's chest and he felt his legs start to stiffen. That was not good. Nothing with Frieza's name in it was good and Goku was sure the shock showed on his face. Desperately, he tried to reign in the nervousness and school his features the same way he'd seen his squad do so many times but it was almost impossible. He could see that Zarbon had noticed, he'd been keeping an eye on Goku the entire time but for what, Goku had no idea. Quickly, he cast his eyes at the empty computer screen, avoiding Zarbon's yellow gaze.

"There is a special mission which requires your assistance." Zarbon said, "Of course, Dodoria and I will be with you as well. Dodoria, the details please?"

There was a nod and the computer blipped as several different screens came up showing a bright purple planet. "Lord Frieza has taken an avid interest in Planet Cerise." There was another press of the buttons and an image of a giant, metallic volcano-like structure appeared. Amber liquid bubbled in the center of the structure almost like magma and Goku could see various bridges and platforms situated above it.

"The yellow liquid is called Aureolinium and Cerise is one of the only two planets in the entire Northern Galaxy that has it." Dodoria turned to face them again, a bored look on his pudgy pink face, "Questions?"

"What does the Auro-yellow stuff do?" Goku asked before he could stop himself and in his peripheral vision, he could see Letifer's tail stiffening against the floor. He didn't need his eyes to know that his squad's energy started wavering in alarm. _Why can't I close my mouth when I need to? But I want to know!_

To his surprise, neither Dodoria nor Zarbon reprimanded him and the latter stepped forward with an indulgent grin. "Aureolinium," he started, enunciating the difficult word, "is an extremely rare resource that is useful in every form; solid, liquid _and_ gas."

"Several of our scouts have brought back a few samples and our scientists have tested it," Dodoria added, tapping his armor, "and the solid can be used in anything from the armor we have on to the wiring inside the computer. It's better than anything we're using right now."

Goku scratched his head, trying to comprehend. "So what about the liquid and gas forms?"

"The liquid," Zarbon explained, coming forward to lean against one of the tables "is a fantastic source of energy. Lasts longer than the fuel we use and the outputs are vastly superior as well. By our estimates, it could increases pod speed by almost 300%, allowing you and your comrades to clear planets that much faster."

Dodoria grinned at them and then at Zarbon who grinned back, "Lord Frieza could clear Galaxies ten times faster with it."

There was fear swirling inside Goku and every second longer he heard about this stuff, the worse it sounded. Purge planets ten times faster?

Help Frieza clear galaxies more quickly than ever before? _ I can't let him get his hands on that stuff, but how?_ His thoughts were interrupted when Dodoria continued with his hands in the air, obviously excited,

"And the _gas_ form, that's the best." He said with glee, pink mouth opening in a wide smile, "It's _highly_ toxic and kills anything that breathes it. The stupid Cerisians don't know anything about it though!"

Paar chose this moment to speak, coming to stand beside Goku and narrowed his eyes at Zarbon, "What does that mean?"

The green haired alien sighed with a soft smile, flicking a few wayward strands back into his braid. He looked at Paar and chuckled, "The Cerisians are a below average grade planet, in simple terms, they are barely able to utilize the Aureolinium in its basic hardened form. Of course, we are vastly more advanced in terms of technology and we can make much better use of it than they can."

"So what's the mission?" Goku's captain asked, seemingly less intimidated by Zarbon and Dodoria like the others were. Turning his head slightly, Goku saw the others were still stiff, staring straight ahead and their faces set in grim, serious lines. Their energy wasn't nearly as unbending as they were though and it swirled around him like furious wind. Zarbon and Dodoria seemed to be amused though and their faces were relaxed, un-phased by any of the horrible information they were imparting to Goku's squad.

"Captain Paar, you and your squad will be accompanying us and Lord Frieza to Planet Cerise. There, you will perform your job if needed. Though the Cerisians have no technology to speak of, their power levels are formidable. Dodoria?"

The fat alien nodded, turning back to the screen and bringing up the data for Planet Cerise. "Their average power level is 6000. Not bad actually, but I'm sure they're going to put up resistance once we get there."

"Well, I'm sure Lord Frieza will be able to…persuade them otherwise." Zarbon shrugged, then looked back at the squad, "You and your men will be leaving at 0500 hours in two days, Galactic standard. I will forward the gate number to Captain Paar. Under no circumstances is this information to be revealed to anyone, do you understand?" Golden eyes narrowed in threat and distantly, Goku heard Lantern gulp.

"Understood!" They all said in unison except for Goku. He was still staring at the screen, that bright purple planet standing out against the darkness of space and hoping against all hope that somehow, Frieza wouldn't get his hands on it.

Things were starting to look grim.


	13. A Series of Awkward Encounters

Gonna throw out a massive thank you to all my reviewers, I'm so happy you guys have stuck with me and my story so far (and hopefully enjoyed it!).

The Morning of the mission, Goku wakes up late! Will he make it in time? Let's find out!

Here is Chapter 13 of: Dream of Yesterday

Enjoy!

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><p>"Strip." Zarbon commanded and crossed his arms over his broad chest. The subject of his command was standing before him in the mission room while the rest of his squad was being escorted down to the second level by Dodoria.<p>

Oroitz floundered for a moment, eyes wide and mouth slack. "Um, excuse me?"

With a sigh, Zarbon spoke again, "I said strip." Really, he hadn't stuttered at all and Oroitz was acting like he hadn't heard him right. Rolling his eyes, Zarbon stalked forward once he realized the man was not going to move. Grabbing Oroitz's armor, Zarbon hauled the prone man forward, "Your armor." He enunciated, moving his mouth around the word slowly, "Take it off." Zarbon's other hand came up to pluck Oroitz's scouter off, placing it beside him on the panels.

"Why?" The surprised man asked, face inches away from Zarbon's. His eyes were black, like bottomless pits of darkness; similar to Vegeta and his men's but only in color. Hmm, he sort of looked like Radditz if Zarbon tried really hard to find the resemblance.

Neither was much on brains, and he snickered at his own joke before finally answering, "I need to confirm something." He let go of the armor, letting Oroitz stagger back before reluctantly pulling at his armor.

"Zarbon?" He asked once he'd placed his battle armor on one of the tables, "What are you checking for?"

Zarbon circled him, examining the muscles of his shoulders and trailed his eyes down his thick arms and back. He wasn't bad and under that horrible hairstyle, his face was actually quite handsome. He stopped right in front of Oroitz who had begun slowly pulling his gloves off and looked at the soldier's features. Oroitz's face was soft, like he'd never seen battle before and his countenance was far too gentle to be a warrior. "Where are you from?"

The gloves were off and Oroitz was bending over to start on his white boots. "I don't…really remember."

_That would explain quite a few things actually…_Zarbon thought, eyes trailing over his ridiculous spikes before going back to lean against the table again. If Oroitz really didn't remember where he was from, it might explain the strange personality. He was nothing like a Saiyan, maybe he was actually an alien that just happened to be on Vegeta.

_Impossible though, _his logic countered,_ his blood is Saiyan. I've had it checked four times._ But once the man was naked, he'd be able to see. _His lower back, if he __**is**__ Saiyan, he'll have a stump or something._ "Hurry it up," he ordered, mouth twisting in impatience. Oroitz was still barely pulling off his boots but once he heard Zarbon, his speed picked up and his shoes were off almost a second later.

All that was left was his spandex suit. Strangely enough, he looked so defenseless without the boots and gloves. Almost vulnerable. _But that body has a 15,000 power level. _Zarbon thought and turned to the computer, hands flying over the buttons.

Several images appeared and he could see himself and Oroitz on the screen. Turning to the security camera's controls, he pressed the button to turn them off. The screens flickered and turned black and the small lights on the cameras were gone, signaling that they were no longer functioning. That was good; he didn't need anyone, not even Frieza seeing this. Small chance that Frieza actually went through camera logs, but Zarbon hadn't stayed Frieza's right hand man because he was an idiot.

_But it won't be long until Dodoria returns; I can't let him see what I'm doing._ At best, it would look exactly like a sexual encounter. At worst, Dodoria might find out and that might get _both_ their asses in the fire.

"Zarbon?" He heard Oroitz ask and he turned around to see him standing completely nude, his pony-tail messed up from taking clothing off. "I'm done?" He offered, eyes wide and hands covering himself like a girl, hiding his genitals.

Zarbon rolled his eyes, flicking his hair back and stepping towards him. Placing one hand on Oroitz's bare shoulder, he whirled him around so that his back was facing Zarbon.

"Hey!" Oroitz sounded panicked, and tried to resist and he actually put up a decent fight before Zarbon overpowered him. His spine was stiff and almost immovable in Zarbon's grip but

"Oroitz, be still!" Zarbon ordered, patience staring to wear thin. He trailed his fingers down the man's spine and stepped back as a full body shiver took over Oroitz's muscled body. Zarbon felt his eyes widen when he saw what he was hoping wasn't there. _He __**is….**_

At the small of Oroitz's back was a small, dark circle. Not exactly a stump but not a scar either and placed exactly where his tail would be if it were still there. A laugh erupted from Zarbon's chest and he leaned back, placing a hand over his forehead. Oh this was just great, this idiot was a Saiyan! Wonderful, now what was he supposed to do? He was better off _not_ knowing for sure.

_Wait,_ he thought as an alarming thought ran through his head, _is this insane power level __**because **__he doesn't have a tail? That's a scary thought but it must be, because I've never met a tailed Saiyan that was stronger than nine or 10,000._ If that were truly the case then Vegeta and his men could never be allowed to know but…it wasn't a sure thing. There was no real way to get that theory tested.

_What should I do?_

"Zarbon?" Oroitz's confused voice cut through his thoughts and Zarbon realized his hands were on Oroitz's shoulders, eyes staring straight down in a manner that would be misinterpreted by everyone except for him. "I think your friend is coming back." Oroitz said, and Zarbon's head snapped up.

_Friend? Does he mean Dodoria? What is he talking about? How does he know?_ Zarbon removed his hands from Oroitz's back, checking his scouter. _He's right!_ He realized with a start, stepping back. Dodoria _was_ on his way back! His golden eyes flicked to Oroitz's face which was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Can I get dressed? I'm cold." He said and Zarbon almost laughed again, turning off his scouter. When he nodded, Oroitz nearly flew towards his discarded clothing and put them on in record time. Zarbon didn't know anyone could dress that fast and he felt a small giggle erupt from his throat. Considering how it would look if Dodoria or anyone else walked in, it made sense.

When the door opened with a metallic sound, Oroitz was already fully dressed and standing straight, just the way he was before Dodoria left. With a mental nod of approval at the man's foresight, Zarbon turned to his pink comrade, "Dodoria."

"Zarbon," Dodoria answered, tilting his spiked head and turned his eyes to Oroitz who waved politely. "Are you done?" He asked, stalking to Oroitz and looked at him. "Where is his scouter?"

_Oh no!_ Zarbon looked down at the panel which he was leaning against; _I forgot to give him his scouter! What do I tell Dodo-?_

"Sorry, I just took it off for a moment. Gotta give my eyes a rest sometimes!" Oroitz scratched his forehead, the spot right above where he wore his scouter. "Those numbers and stuff go by so fast sometimes, I don't get a chance to read them." He laughed lightly, and grinned.

_Where-?_ Zarbon asked himself, barely able to stop his jaw from dropping. _When did he get it? I __**had**__ it a few seconds ago. Did…did he move just now?_ His eyes flicked to the panel again and sure enough, the orange scouter he had taken from Oroitz was no longer there. Snapping his head back up to Oroitz, Zarbon felt a strange sort of unease. What had Oroitz _done?_ How had he moved that fast-faster than _he_ could see?

Dodoria simply nodded, laughing to himself, probably at Oroitz's stupidity but he couldn't fool Zarbon. _Faster than I could see at only 15,000? No, I…I probably just-_

"Zarbon?" Oroitz was asking and Zarbon realized he had been staring at Dodoria and Oroitz blankly. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts,

"What is it?" He answered voice calm and cool despite the fact that there was turmoil inside of him. Vaguely, Zarbon felt some pride at masking his confusion but Dodoria knew something was up, even if Oroitz didn't. Damn Dodoria for knowing him as well as he did!

"Should…I stay?" Oroitz asked, still grinning innocently. Dodoria was looking at him and Zarbon avoided his gaze, stepping forward to stand in front of Oroitz.

Shaking his head, he sent strands flying everywhere when he spoke, "You are dismissed Oroitz. I'll lead you to the elevators." Turning to Dodoria he gestured to the Saiyan, "I'll leave you to send the information to Captain Paar."

Dodoria nodded and with one final strange look aimed at Zarbon, he turned to the computer panels and brought up Planet Cerise again.

Zarbon left Dodoria at the computer and walked to the door, gesturing at Oroitz to follow him. As he walked out, he heard footsteps followed by the sound of the doors shutting behind him. Looking at Oroitz, Zarbon was annoyed to see the Saiyan walking beside him with his hands behind his head as if everything was ok. Calmly breathing, he ignored the urge to ask Oroitz what the hell he had done back there.

_How did he know Dodoria was on his way there? My scouter placed him at the elevator, just coming off._ And speaking of elevators, they were already at the elevator that would lead them to the second level. Zarbon didn't need to enter his pin and simply pushed several buttons on the control panel and the doors opened.

"Anything else you need Zarbon?" Oroitz asked, entering the elevator.

"I will not be accompanying you down Oroitz," He answered, crossing his arms over his chest and letting his face return the small grin Oroitz had on his. He was slow, but Oroitz was definitely much more amiable than the rest of the Saiyans he had known. It was actually a bit calming to be in his presence and it was unlikely the Saiyan had any ulterior motive. Actually, he looked like he couldn't even _spell_ ulterior much less be trying to work his way up the ladder. "Why did you do it?" He asked the grinning man, tilting his head towards Oroitz's orange scouter.

"Huh? Oh this?" Oroitz pointed a gloved finger at his scouter and smiled brightly, tapping it. "Just did it without thinking. You sort of looked like you were panicking, so I guess it worked out huh?" His mouth opened in a light laugh that Zarbon found himself reciprocating.

"I guess it did." He answered back and to his surprise, his hand came up, almost of its own volition and waved at Oroitz as the doors of the elevator's doors closed.

"Bye Zarbon! See you tomorr-uh the day after tomorrow!" His cheerful voice faded away and after a moment, Zarbon's scouter signaled that the Saiyan had reached the second level. Shaking his head in disbelief, the moss-green colored alien made his way back to Dodoria. As he walked back to the room he had left, Zarbon stared at his hand. Why had he waved back? He was _supposed_ to demand an explanation and instead, he had just laughed and gotten sucked into the Saiyan's easygoing attitude.

"What happened?" Dodoria asked, stepping out just as Zarbon arrived. His amaranth colored cohort was staring at him with his large, pink arms crossed over his massive chest. Zarbon could practically feel Dodoria's eyes boring into him, trying to figure out what happened during his absence.

With a shake of his head, Zarbon dispelled whatever question Dodoria had been about to ask, "It's nothing Dodoria." Wishing to change the subject rather than quell on his momentary lapse of judgment, Zarbon asked Dodoria about the information and gate number; whether they had been sent to Captain Paar.

Dodoria nodded, "Relayed the info no problem. Frieza asked for a bottle of his favorite wine and I'm about to head to the stock room." He started walking, surprisingly agile for such a fat alien and Zarbon shrugged, following him. Did they have a choice? There was a pink pudgy elbow nudging his side and Zarbon looked down to see Dodoria grinning conspiratorially. "We can even grab a glass for ourselves from the extra bottle that I've hidden away."

Zarbon chuckled with him, grinning right back at Dodoria. "That sounds good. Lead the way."

* * *

><p>"Oroitz, get up!" Paar's slithering voice slid into Goku's head, and for a moment he was content to think of it as a part of his sleep, something he just imagined. But there was an incessant beeping from the side of his pillow and grudgingly opened his eyes.<p>

_Ugh it feels like I barely slept!_ He managed to drag his hands up to his eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them before groping blindly for his scouter and pressing it to his ear.

"Oroitz!" Came Paar's voice again, this time deafeningly loud and Goku winced,

"I'm here, I'm here!" He said before Paar could scream again, "What's up Paar?"

There was a sigh from the other end of the scouter and his captain spoke, a frustrated undertone accompanying his words, "How did I know you were asleep? Get up!"

"You've got about an hour until we have to go! What the hell are you doing in bed you moron?" Solzt's voice interrupted Paar's, louder and it made Goku wince again.

Suddenly the words hit him, _Oh no!_ He sat up quickly and yelped when his head hit the bottom of the bunk above him. He rubbed his head, biting his bottom lip and stifling a small sob. There was laughter from his scouter and he realized that his entire squad had heard the little ordeal.

"Hey!" He protested, annoyed that his voice came out all shaky. "Hey!" He repeated when the laughter increased and stuck his tongue out like a child even though he knew no one could see. Meanies. Anyways, he had no time to stick around the barracks! He pressed the scouter's button and the time came up, confirming what Solzt had said. Less than an hour, crap!

_Ok, I have to get food and shower! Crap, can I do all that fast enough?_ He had to try anyways and he jumped out of bed and dressed as fast as he could. When all his clothing was on, he pulled the communicator from under his mattress and shoved it into his boot before running out of the barracks.

His stomach was grumbling and he patted his hand over his abdomen, silently apologizing for keeping it empty while heading straight for the cafeteria. With any luck, his friends down at the docks will have added extra rations to his ID! That meant a full breakfast! With the added speed that thought brought to his legs, Goku sped towards the cafeteria.

_Yay!_ He celebrated when he saw that there was no line and he jumped in to grab several trays at once, hauling them all towards one of the tables. Apparently, everyone had already eaten this morning or something because the cafeteria was usually full of people and there were rarely any free tables.

_I guess I'm just really lucky today._ He thought which was good because he needed to finish his food fast. That wasn't too difficult and it was a task he would bear with great pleasure; with that thought in mind he sank his teeth into the meat that everyone else deemed disgusting. In less than fifteen minutes (galactic standard), all the food on his tray was gone, even the greens. Placing the monument of trays back at the counter, he didn't wait to see them disappear before his legs were already speedily taking him towards the showers.

The showers weren't as empty as the cafeteria but neither were they completely full. There was a stall or two still empty and he chucked his clothing off (hiding the communicator underneath the folds) and making sure his scouter was off his head. He remembered the last time he had forgotten that device was on his head and had taken it underwater.

Apparently they weren't waterproof and Paar had gotten a "bitching" from someone higher than him for having to replace the stupid thing.

Quickly, he shoved himself in one of the free stalls and let the warm water wash over his body. It felt good to have the previous day's sweat and grime wash off. Yesterday, he had spent the better part of his hours fighting against Solzt and Reizo and they'd actually managed to give him a decent beating. Of course Goku had suppressed the urge to fight back even with a modicum of sincerity, but it had been fun nonetheless.

_And I forgot to shower after! I can't believe I went to Ula without even changing, I must have reeked!_ Goku thought while furiously scrubbing his hair and skin. Thankfully, either her sense of smell was horrible or she had been too polite to say anything. He rubbed the soapy water over him, reaching to try and get his back. _Speaking of my back, Zarbon saw…and I didn't even realize what he was looking for until last night!_

Sometimes, he hated his own stupidity. What _else_ would the green haired alien have been looking for? Retrospectively, how could he have _not_ realized back then when he had asked Goku to strip? Damn it, what was he supposed to do now? His back stiffened, what if Zarbon told Frieza?

_I suppose I'll just have to hope that he doesn't. _The water stopped flowing over him and Goku bounded over towards the towel rack and towards the lockers, surprised by the crowd that had gathered there.

Numerous aliens of all sizes and shapes were huddled around something. Goku could hear whistles and cheers as well as a variety of words he couldn't understand being said in different languages. What was happening, he wondered? But there were too many people crowded and he couldn't get a good look at what the fuss was about. He had no time anyways, he probably only had less than ten minutes before Paar sent the squad to look for him.

_Oh man and if Frieza finds out I'm late…So much for not generating attention!_ He tried to push his way through the crowd, annoyed when he was shoved back and forth.

"You know," said one nasal voice, "If you loosened up a bit, we could really show you a good time!" There was more whistling and shoving. Who were they talking to? About what? Darn it, he needed to get to the stupid towels or he would be late and if Paar didn't kill him, Frieza would!

"Move!" He grunted, shoving his forearm against the brown skin of a large alien. There was a strange teal glow on him and there was a squeak of alarm from Goku. Big mistake and he looked straight into the narrow eyes of Tyrd. Uh oh, this wasn't good. He barely managed to let out a whimper of alarm before Tyrd's craggy mouth stretched in a vicious smile.

"Well well!" He said, leaning down to meet Goku's wide eyes. "What do we have here? It's Pineapple head." His large boulder like body blocked the way to the exit and Goku heard the chatter die down somewhat but most of the alien's attentions was focused on something other than him and Tyrd.

"Hi-"he struggled to remember how the name went before opening his mouth, "Terd-"

"TYRD! You fucking moron!" Tyrd snarled, stepping forward in a manner he thought was intimidating but just looked like macho posing to Goku.

Holding his hands up in an attempt to ward the large alien away, Goku stepped back, horribly aware of the ticking time. "I really need to get to the towel rack," he said with a grin, "or I'm going to be super late ok? Can we do this some other time?" Hopefully, even Tyrd would understand enough to let him go by.

But the rock alien wasn't convinced and leaned back, crossing his giant arms. "Late for what?"

"Squad, I have something to do so _please_ can we reschedule this? I just need to go** now**." Apparently, something in his tone this time was adequate for Tyrd actually nodded, stepping aside. At least he understood that Squad business was important and not to be trifled with. Nodding in thanks and avoiding the vicious glare that was sent his way, Goku somehow managed to squeeze through a few more aliens.

_Why is everyone gathered here? Sheesh! _ It was like being a sardine and squished in a can! "I-really need to-"he grunted, "Get out!"

Suddenly, there was the sensation of falling and Goku vaguely realized that in his desperate attempts to cross the battlefield, the endless shoving actually managed to throw him off balance. But the epiphany came too late and he was already careening through the empty air. _Where's the crowd?_ He wondered, as he stumbled, trying to keep his footing in the slippery room but it was futile and there was a sense of weightlessness followed by something soft and hard at the same time.

_Towels? No, towels are white. _He groaned into the material, wondering why the chatter had all of a sudden given way to deafening silence. Sitting back, he fell on his butt and rubbed his head in confusion.

"What are you doing?" The voice was clipped, angry and Goku felt his body freeze on the floor.

Slowly, his eyes saw white boots, so shiny he could see his own horrified face reflected in their gold tips. Trailing his gaze upwards, he was met with light blue skin, black underwear and…and oh god. Zarmine.

Zarmine.

Captain Zarmine was sitting on one of the benches and staring at him with absolute _murder_ in her eyes. Suddenly, with all too clear terror, Goku knew what had cushioned his fall. When he managed to tear away from her bare bellybutton he whimpered at the sight of medium sized bare breasts.

_Oh god._ _This is bad._ Now, all the cheers and whistles he heard made perfect sense. They had been catcalls and propositions for Zarmine!

_I'm going to die here._ He thought vaguely, managing to look away from her chest and into her furious orange eyes and snarling mouth. She looked like she was seconds away from blasting him into oblivion and if he still had a tail; it would have been tucked under his legs.

Following the sense of dread, embarrassment quickly settled and he realized that he had been sitting there for several seconds staring unabashedly at the fierce warrior. He felt a blush of shame creep up over his face. "Oh god I'm so sorry!" He yelled, jumping up and slapping a large hand over his eyes. Stepping backwards, he almost managed to slip again before catching his balance and blindly groping for the lockers.

The entire room had erupted in laughter and jeers but Goku ignored them, pushing through the crowd. What he needed were towels, his clothing and to _leave_ before he got himself killed. "I didn't mean to look I swear!" He said in her general direction, yelping when the metal bench (welded onto the floor like everything else) banged painfully into his shin. There was more laughter, this time almost howls of hilarity and Goku cracked open and eye to see where he was going.

Finally, he could see the towels and he limped towards them, mumbling an apology the entire while. Even after he had a towel in his hands, he kept his eyes closed tightly and dried himself off as quickly as humanely possible. Where was his locker damn it?

There. Ok, clothing check. Get it on as fast as possible before she snapped out of her stupor and fried him to kingdom come! In a flash, faster than he thought possible, his clothing was on and scouter hastily placed over his eye. Shoving the communicator into his boot, he made a beeline straight for the exit only to be met with Zarmine herself, standing before him in all her bare-chested glory. This time, there was no hesitation and he slammed himself into the lockers, hand over his eyes again (cursing when he almost smashed the scouter into his eyeball).

"Z-Zarmine!" He said, stuttering over his embarrassment, "I'm really sorry I promise I didn't mean to do that! I just need to go; I'm going to be late!" He pointed towards where the exit was, hoping she would move aside so he could go and slowly regenerate his dignity somewhere else.

"He's going to get it!" A voice called over the crowed and Goku whimpered, shrinking against the metal of the lockers. How was he going to explain this to his squad?

Sensing her right in front of him, he slapped his hands together as if her were praying and kept his eyes shut the entire time, "I'm really, _really_ sorry! I promise that won't happen again! Please don't kill me!" Back slumped, he hoped he looked submissive enough that she wouldn't rearrange his face; Goku waited for a few seconds, the blush across his face burning hotter and hotter until he was sure he looked like a tomato.

There was a chuckle and it gave way to laughter but Goku didn't dare open his eyes. _How embarrassing but why is she laughing? Why is she __**here**__ anyways? Isn't there a-a girl's shower or something?_ Well, that was stupid since there weren't that many women in Frieza's army but he needed an excuse!

"Go," she said and Goku heard her footsteps as Zarmine walked away from him. Oh thank Kami. He didn't even wait for a second and nearly blasted himself towards the door, pushing aside cackling aliens in an effort to reach the exit. He didn't care if he fell face first onto the floor, he just needed to get out and get to his squad! He was already late and he tried to push out Zarmine's angry face from his memories and concentrate on keeping his footing.

Once he was out, he breathed a sigh of relief and hastily bound his hair in its customary pony-tail. The strands still drooped since he hadn't dried his hair (he hadn't dared) but it would be good enough for the moment. His face was still flushed and he tried to ignore it as he ran full speed towards the elevators, grateful that the rest of Frieza's ship was air conditioned. Hopefully, by the time he reached his squad he would look somewhat normal.

_Oh man that was a close one!_ He thought, rubbing his wet hair, he would definitely have to avoid her squad for a long, long time. He could just imagine that Tyrd and the others were just _itching_ to shove their fists into his face after what had just happened.

Thankfully, when he reached his squad they were still at the docks. Apparently, he wasn't late, having arrived in the nick of time.

"Two more minutes and I would have had to send someone to haul your ass here, showered or not." Paar said looking over Goku's wet hair and flushed complexion.

"Yeah, well…I got held up." He offered meekly, glaring at Letifer and Reizo when they pointedly giggled without even bothering to hide it.

"Got held up by what?" Letifer teased, pulling at a wet bang, "Looks like you barely got out of bed in time to shower. Didn't we call you an hour ago?"

With a shrug, Goku grinned at his comrade, "Long story, I'll tell you _if_ you give me your desert next time we're on board."

Letifer glowered and Solzt snorted, flicking his white hair back, "Seems you aren't as soft hearted as you look." Tucking a strand behind his ear, he grinned at Letifer, "You're being blackmailed."

_New earrings, _Goku noted, looking at the small yellow piercings. _Better than the dangling one but I'm not one to talk since I had to wear the Potara to fuse with Vegeta!_

Letifer merely shrugged, looking as if he were considering the offer but he stopped short of saying something, staring at something behind Goku.

Zarbon's aristocratic and refined voice cut through the sudden silence of the docks,"Here is Captain Paar's squad, my Lord."

_That energy…_ Goku thought, _It can only be __**one**__ person!_ It had been a long time since he had really felt that Ki, but it was as familiar to him as the back of his own hand. Memories flashed through his head, ones of small red eyes, white skin covered in purple plates on his head, shoulders, chest and followed down to a long, white, deadly tail. He didn't need to see his squad's faces to know who was standing behind them. He could feel it in the stiffening of his spine and the sweat that was gathering at the base of his neck.

_Frieza_.

"I see. Are you ready for departure, Captain?" The voice that cut through the silence of the docks was soft, light and deadly.

It was all at once a rush for Goku, and he wanted to do anything but turn around and meet that small, white face. But he had no choice for he could see everyone had bent at the waist, bowing in reverence to the creature behind him. Though his legs were suddenly immensely difficult to move, Goku forced himself to turn and bow along with the rest of this squad.

For a moment, there was only the sound of heavy breathing before Paar answered in a meek voice that Goku had never heard from him before, "Yes my Lord." The energy in the air was stagnant, almost as if everyone in the room was paralyzed by fear and for some reason, Goku was glad he could only see the floor and if he looked up, the tips of Zarbon and Dodoria's boots.

Strange, he could _feel_ Frieza there but he couldn't see the Tyrant's feet at all. Where was he? Floating above them? Daringly, he tilted his head upwards and saw the bottom of what looked like a strange pod but he couldn't look any higher without craning his head upwards in what might be interpreted as an act of disrespect. Curiosity was eating at him, but he didn't want to get his squad in trouble.

"You may stand Captain." Frieza's voice sounded bored, like everything around him was disposable. In retrospect, that was very much Frieza and Goku had to stifle a small grin that was about to form on his face.

Paar stood beside him and the rest followed, including Goku. Behind his curiosity, anxiety followed on its tail but even his hatred of Frieza wasn't enough to stop his eyes from roving over the Tyrant's smooth…white-?

_What? That's not Frieza._ Goku couldn't stop his eyes from widening as he looked over what was _supposed_ to be Lord Frieza. But, he was so different. _Horns? He has **horns?**_ Barely stopping his mouth from opening to ask the question that would probably get his squad killed, Goku snapped his jaw shut.

Instead of the smooth, porcelain colored skin and patches of purple armor Goku had been expecting, Frieza looked like a completely different creature than when they had fought. The Frieza that stood before him was small yet he gazed on them with the same arrogance and power that Goku remembered. His skin was not the alabaster that Goku remembered but instead it was a pinkish hue, lighter than Dodoria's, who stood beside him. Goku could see the tip of his purple tail extruding from the vehicle he sat in, tapping against the black material. Unlike on Namek, he was armored in a manner similar to his soldier's. The most unfamiliar part was the two black horns protruding from each side of his head, leading down to small red eyes situated above lightly smiling black lips.

If Goku had any doubt about who that was, it was instantly dispelled when he took a good look at the creature's eyes. They were the same ones that had stared back at him even as he laid pleading for mercy on the barren wasteland of Namek, empty and merciless. Hate swelled in Goku's stomach and he squashed it, trying to appear awed like the others around him. A difficult task. He narrowed his eyes, looking at the front of the hovering vehicle, avoiding eye contact with Frieza.

"Well, let us stop wasting time. I have better things to do than stand here." Frieza said with a small chuckle, waving his hand at the gates.

"Yes Lord Frieza!" One of the aliens said and typed away on the computers as fast as he could while Paar and his squad stepped aside to make a clear path for their lord. There was a large whirring sound and several of the pumps started working and the largest metal door started to open.

_That's right,_ Goku realized, _we're probably not going to travel by pod. I can't imagine Frieza in one either._ The great and mighty ruler of the universe curling up into a pod? That thought made Goku bit his lip to stifle a small chuckle that would have probably gotten all their heads blown off. He probably wasn't as subtle as he thought because Zarbon's head turned just the slightest, just enough to tell Goku to shut up before anyone else noticed. Goku tilted his head back as a thank you and grinned just as Frieza completely passed him.

That energy though, it was still so much bigger than anything else Goku had sensed on the ship, with him excluded of course. It was no wonder that everyone else subjected themselves to his will, they were like small ants compared to Frieza.

Paar passed him by, crooking his fingers back at the squad. Sharing a look with Reizo and the others, Goku followed their captain towards the doors. They had already slid into place, revealing a hallway that led to another metallic door. Following Frieza and his men, Goku walked through the narrow corridor, glancing up to see that it was made of glass. The void of space was clearly visible from where they were walking and if when he craned his neck to see past Letifer's hulking form, he could spot the bright yellow of another, smaller ship. Still large enough to carry a small army if Frieza was inclined to do so.

Still, despite his own power he was feeling nervous. He had managed to push the thought of Planet Cerise out of his mind for the past two days but there was no avoiding it now. They were on their way to get a hold of a miracle resource and in the process, helping Frieza gain a better chokehold over the galaxy. There was just no winning was there? He sighed, annoyed at the wavering energy in the air. The others couldn't feel it, but it was buzzing around him, stinging his skin like small bees. He was already agitated, and it was making it worse.

Everyone was anxious except for Zarbon, Dodoria and Frieza. The last was calm, completely in control of his energy.

But, _I have to control myself,_ he thought, pushing his power down in order to avoid making a scene. They were nearing the far doors already and they slid open as well, a clear path for Frieza and his men. _Damnit, I'm one of his men now aren't I? I knew that but…still, it's so difficult._

Once they were inside, it was apparent that Frieza didn't put much stock in decoration. The room was bare and looked similar in coloring and style to the Flagship. Computers lined the walls and they were led to something that looked like a control room. There was a large screen taking up most of the wall and there were several levels of the floor, each separated by a railing and more computers.

There were already several dozen technicians and henchmen typing away furiously at the computers but once they entered; they all turned to bow and spoke in unison, "Lord Frieza."

Frieza waved them off and they returned to their work. His tail tapped against his hover vehicle, Zarbon and Dodoria stood beside him like bodyguards though Goku could feel that their energies were still nothing compared to Frieza's. Why did Frieza keep them then?

_Well, even someone like him had to have someone to handle all the small stuff I guess._ It made sense though and Goku supposed that Zarbon and Dodoria dealt with everything that was below the tyrant's attention.

Suddenly, Frieza had turned to them and the entire squad stiffened like sticks again, backs ramrod straight and eyes focused on Frieza's amused face.

_I can't believe it! He's enjoying the fact that everyone's scares stiff._ Goku's mouth turned down into a frown despite his attempts to control it but thankfully Frieza didn't notice or didn't care. Either way, he wasn't getting in trouble. He glanced to the side, looking over Lantern and Solzt, trying to see their faces. It was just as he suspected, their features were frozen in a neutral look that was offset by their panicked energy. They were scared, that much was obvious.

Looking at Letifer and Paar, they were scared as well. Along with everyone else in the room.

"Zarbon, when will we arrive at Planet Cerise?" He asked mildly, tilting his horned head to the side.

His right hand man bowed lightly, "We will arrive in five days, galactic standard."

"Good," the tyrant answered and waved at Paar, barely even glancing over the others, "You may entertain yourselves until we arrive. Dodoria, lead them to the lower deck."

Dodoria bowed, rushing forward to stand beside Paar, "Gotcha." He nodded his head towards the doors behind them, "Let's go."

Paar's blue eyes made contact with Goku's before looking at the others. Turning, he followed Dodoria to wherever he was being led. Letifer and the others were soon to follow and Goku spared one last look at Frieza and Zarbon before he followed his comrades.

_The important thing, h_e realized as he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the walls,_ is Frieza didn't know who I was. He didn't recognize me as Bardock's son. This pony-tail is amazing!_ He almost grinned in glee, he hadn't even thought about that fact until just now.

They headed down another hallway and he could feel Frieza's Ki getting further and further away until they were almost on the other side of the ship. There was an elevator and Dodoria pressed the control panel and the doors slid open. As they traveled down, Goku could see that his friends' energies were calming down, no longer fluctuating around him nervously. He was able to relax as well since their Ki no longer brushed against his skin like electricity.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise and everyone's heads turned to him. Goku laughed, rubbing his head and grinning nervously, "Sorry! Um, is there food around here?"

Lantern slapped a glove hand over his eyes and Letifer shook his horned head, grinning at him. Even Dodoria shot him an annoyed look, but didn't say anything. It seemed that somehow, he'd broken the tense atmosphere, or rather his stomach had!

"The Cafeteria is down that way. I'm sure you'll be able to find it. Everything else is down on this level too, including the training rooms and barracks. Don't cause too much damage or Lord Frieza will have all our heads on a pike. Got it?" Dodoria said once the doors opened and Goku threw him a grin and waved. Dodoria just shook his head and let them off the elevator, leaving them on the level while he traveled back to the control room.

"Come on guys," Paar said, leading them to the direction Dodoria had pointed, "Or Oroitz might die of hunger."

Letifer threw a large blue arm over Goku's shoulder, pulling him close, "I'll even let you have my desert if you tell me what held you up at the bay. That was the deal right?"

Goku groaned, a blush rising on his face and he managed to cover it with his hand before looking down. Memories of Zarmine and the locker room assaulted him and the others looked that much more interested.

"I suppose I could let you partake of my dessert as well. I admit I am quite interested in-"

"Shut up Lantern." They all said in unison, and headed towards the delicious smell of food.

* * *

><p>"What do you think Zarbon, Dodoria? How long do you think the Cerisians will last until they surrender? One day? Two? Perhaps they'll last a week." Frieza grinned, staring at the image of the bright purple planet on his screen. He took a sip of his wine, tilting his head back to let the delicious liquid trail down his throat.<p>

Exquisite.

He turned his red eyes to his Lieutenants, waiting for their response. Dodoria was the first to reply, coming forward with a wicked smile. "I'll give 'em two days max."

"You're insane Dodoria," Zarbon interrupted and placed a hand on the pink alien's armored shoulder, "Lord Frieza is here _personally._ " He turned his golden eyes to Frieza, "I give them perhaps an entire day, enough to annihilate about half their population before they realize who's superior."

"Well said Zarbon," the tyrant responded, draining the rest of his glass, "But maybe I'll toy with them for a while. No sense in killing them all when I need them to keep that Aureolinium flowing. I would hate to dispose of potential slaves, not while they still prove useful." He turned his vehicle back to the screen, focusing on the yellow liquid that bubbled in the center of their volcano. Soon, with the Aureolinium in his grasp, he would be able to cut in half the time required to purge planets.

Even Cooler would have to acknowledge his superiority. At the thought of his brother, Frieza's black lips turned into a sneer and he sat back in his chair. Try to edge over _Frieza_ does he? That was an insult he couldn't bear and especially in front of their father!

In any case, Father was on his side and _he_ was the chosen heir to the Kold Empire. No one got away with berating him, not even his own brother.

With the Aureolinium in hand, Cooler would be overpowered in terms of progress. While his legion and fleets would have vastly superior material, energy and weapons, Cooler would still be living in the proverbial Stone Age! How marvelous it would be, to finally be able to see Cooler's smug face crumble before him when he finally realized that he would never be able to match Frieza!

_Maybe I'll keep him around just to savor his defeat. _He smiled to himself, leaning on one hand. Five days until arrival, five days until his already immeasurable influence of the galaxy would potentially double! Not bothering to stifle a laugh of triumph, he gestured to Dodoria with his empty glass and his lieutenant obediently filled it.

Something inside of him, a strange sense of excitement was building. With a deep breath of satisfaction, he took another sip of his wine. The future looked bright indeed.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes until arrival, his scouter told Goku. The Saiyan pressed the button and turned the device off, instead focusing his attention at the computer in front of him. If there was one good thing that came out of serving on Frieza's ship, it was that he was forced to learn how to use the damn things.<p>

The first several months had been a pain in the butt though and Goku was sure that even Lantern was staring to get annoyed his inability to grasp even basic concepts of the computer. It had been an uphill battle, learning about uploads, downloads, files and networking basics but eventually Goku had been able to wrap his mind around some of it before Solzt declared him a hopeless bastard.

_Well,_ he thought, _I know enough to make it work and do what I want it to do most of the time. That's enough for me!_ He never really needed to use the stupid things anyways, apart from checking mission details on the log screen of his pod or entering his number in control panels on the ship. Right now though, he was glad that he knew what was happening as numbers and intelligible lines of data appeared and disappeared on the screen.

He was checking on Planet Cerise, skipping the lines of information which detailed the chemical composition of the air and land. That wasn't what he was looking for but other packets of data were closed to him, off limits because of his rank as a mere soldier. Instinct told him that the key to defeating Frieza this time around lay in understanding the strings of chemical compounds that followed the long, unintelligible words.

With a sigh, he turned the computer off, leaning against his arms as his shoulders slumped. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't just…just _watch _while Frieza threatened and annihilated an entire race just for that yellow stuff.

But…that was what he had been doing as well for the past six months. It wasn't Frieza that destroyed countless people, but it might as well have been. For did not Goku kill defenseless civilians with his own hands? He was Frieza's tool, and just as much of a monster as the Tyrant. There was no going back for him anymore.

"What are you doing?" Goku whirled around in panic and calmed down when he saw it was only Reizo. He sighed in relief, glad he didn't have to explain what he was doing to someone else, someone willing to tell Frieza.

He laughed, stepping forward to block Reizo's view of the computer, "Nothing much, just checking our logs."

Reizo's eyebrow shot up in confusion and he regarded Goku with a look that said he didn't believe him in the _slightest._ "I thought you hated looking at the logs. Why now?" Damnit no! He was trying to get information out of Goku! But how to distract him?

He hesitated too long and Reizo's friendly face stiffened and he leaned close, "Don't think of doing anything weird. I know you don't like killing but even_ you _have to know that you're in over your damn head if you think you can do something and get away with it. Don't only think of yourself!"

Goku nodded, knowing that the red skinned alien was right. He couldn't forget about his squad. If anything went wrong, Paar would be blamed and knowing Frieza, probably killed as well. "I got it," he answered after a moment and Reizo's face relaxed back into its normal amiable smile.

"Then let's head back. Paar and the others are waiting for us." He leaned on Goku's shoulder and led the way down the hall towards one of the larger gates, "Actually, he sent me to get you." A full body shiver followed his words and Reizo looked up, golden eyes boring holes into the ceiling.

Frieza's energy was up there.

They were nearing the gate and the somber faces of his squad met his and Goku mirrored their expressions. It was almost time, ten minutes left.

"Are we ready?" Paar asked the group, looking into each of their faces. His eyes said everything the group needed to know for the Captain wasn't one to dish out heroic speeches or encouraging words. He was a calm creature, imposing all on his own and Goku was glad that someone like Paar was his captain.

Six months on Frieza's ship and Goku had gotten to know some of the other squads. He had gotten lucky with his because the other squads weren't nearly as friendly _or_ merciful.

"Yeah," he answered, folding his arms. Frieza's Ki was coming down along with Zarbon's and Dodoria's, a clear signal of arrival.

By the time they reached Goku, his squad was already at attention and ready to receive and carry out any orders. Even Goku.


	14. Cerise, A Monochromatic Planet

Hello everyone! First of all, I would like to apologize for the late update. My computer decided a night or so ago, to completely shut down and refuse to boot up again! So needless to say, I spent all of the previous day backing up and fixing files.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: I have added an extra part to Chapter 13, extending the ending as I wasn't too happy with where it went. I would recommend you go back to Chapter 13 and read it!**

Anyways, enjoy and thank you for staying with me so far!

* * *

><p>The first thing Zarbon noticed once they landed was the completely monochromatic color scheme. Purple in every direction! Up, down, sideways and if he'd bothered to look, the <em>dirt<em> would probably be the same color. Even the greenery- if it could even be called that, was the same infernal shade. There was no misplaced dislike towards purple or anything but if there was one thing he hated, it was complete lack of sense.

Well, at least it was better than _mismatching_ colors, he guessed. Better to see shades of a single color for miles around than have to hurt his beautiful eyes by straining to keep them open against a horrible cornucopia of them.

That and it was cold. The lizard's blood coursing through Zarbon's veins meant that he never did well with cold and he was definitely feeling the chill. At least his stockings and arm coverings granted him a bit of warmth.

The second thing he noticed was that his body weighed several tons and unless he had magically gained a few hundred pounds, their scouts had been less than complete in their reports about the planet. It was as if he could barely walk and each step into the violet grass was so difficult it was a wonder he was even holding himself up!

Dodoria was doing no better and his friend's fists were clenched tightly as he tried to withstand the sudden weight of his own body. Oroitz's squad fared no better, each of them slouching into the ground, trying to hold themselves up. Even Frieza's hovercraft dug into the grass, pushing into the dirt.

Frieza jumped from his seat, coming to land with a thud against the floor and his long tail slammed into the ground like it was dead weight. There was a displeased frown on his lord's face and the muscles of his tail twitched against the floor though the tail itself didn't move. "Apparently," Frieza began, crossing his arms over his chest, "Our scouts were not as thorough in their reports as was expected. I certainly don't remember anyone mentioning the _Planet's Gravity!__**"**_ The last part of his sentence was high pitched, annoyed. With a turn of his small head, he examined the planet they were on.

"Not much in the way of color is it?" He noted, stepping forward though Zarbon could see that even his footsteps were heavier than usual. Even their powerful lord wasn't used to high gravity planets, as they rarely ever kept such around. Those were usually destroyed as they were not important either in resources or market value.

Cerise was an exception however, but unless they managed to somehow circumvent the gravity, they would die of old age before they arrived anywhere.

"This requires a change of plans," Frieza said, frown still apparent on his delicate features. He was obviously less than pleased and Zarbon was sorely glad that he wasn't the unfortunate scout that would have to deal with Frieza's wrath. "However I have no desire to return to the Flagship. But-"He shot a look at Dodoria then Zarbon, "both of you are useless to me right now." His head turned to glance at Oroitz's squad, "I suppose the lot of you are no better? Of course not."

Well of course they were no better off. If he and _Dodoria_ with power levels of over 20,000 each had difficulty with the planet, when why would Paar's group be any better off?

There was a long sigh from behind him but it was so soft that Zarbon thought he had imagined it over the sound of the cold wind brushing against his face. When he turned though, he had expected to see anything but what met his sight.

Was that Oroitz? His eyes had to playing tricks on him because the Saiyan stood there as if he didn't even _feel_ the gravity. While all of his comrade's backs were bending under the weight, he stood there like he was just appreciating the weather! Pressing his scouter, Zarbon targeted Oroitz but it was the same 15,000 power level as before. But if that was the case, how was he just standing there like it was nothing?

Was it a Saiyan thing? It couldn't be, could it?

Oroitz caught Zarbon's gaze and smiled, waving at him. Then he stepped forward, lighter than even Frieza and looked around him, then shivered. Zarbon couldn't hold in a light chuckle. At least he wasn't the only one cold here. It made him feel a little better, but not much.

"In any case," Dodoria said to Frieza, "What are your orders?" He moved forward but each step was difficult, everyone could tell.

Frieza turned, his tail dragging behind him and he shot an annoyed glance at it before looking back at them. There was a contemplative look in his eyes, like Frieza was thinking of what to do in light of this new information. Then a sigh cut through the air, his lord's chest expanding and falling in an exasperated breath. Suddenly, his eyes landed on Oroitz and just as Zarbon feared, he noticed the Saiyan's relaxed pose. "You," he said, looking straight at the pony-tailed man.

They way Oroitz almost jerked in place, it was almost as if he had been thinking about something. _Does that mean he didn't even notice the gravity?_ The thought was infuriating and Zarbon couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously at Oroitz's apparent ease, but it was circumvented by the man's obliviousness. In

"Yes?" He answered, tilting his head at Frieza. He didn't look the least be intimidated, just standing there and staring at Frieza head on like they were equals. He and Oroitz weren't friends or anything, but for some reason, the thought of the Saiyan just dying like that didn't sit well with him.

Desperately, he widened his eyes at Oroitz, hoping that he would meet his gaze. Vain though, because Oroitz didn't even _look_ at him, just kept staring at Frieza with that dumbfounded look in his eyes.

"What's up?"

Oh god. He was going to die.

Even Dodoria's jaw had dropped several inches and Oroitz's captain looked like the nerves on his forehead were about to burst.

There was a moment of silence and Frieza said nothing. Zarbon could only see the muscles of Frieza's tail twitch again but otherwise, the Icejin didn't lash out.

"Hm," He said, stalking around Oroitz like he was examining him. "Can you men adjust to the gravity at all?"

"The what? Gravity?" Oroitz looked around them and finally after a moment it looked like he understood. His head flicked side to side, surveying the planet before he brought his hand up to rub the back of his head. A smile spread across his face before Oroitz laughed nervously, "Huh…oh yeah."

Frieza chuckled, a cruel sound. "You're not a bright one are you? No matter, how well can you move?"

Oroitz looked like he was pondering the question for a moment, rubbing his chin before jumping up and landing in a heavy thud against the floor. "It's a bit heavy actually."

_He's lying._ Zarbon thought instantly, somehow aware of that fact. There was no mistaking it either because when he glanced over to Paar and the others, he could see it in their faces too. Oroitz was lying. He hadn't even noticed the change in pressure until Frieza asked him about it.

He spared a glance at the other squad mates and each of them had a skeptical look in their eyes as well. Certainly it looked like they knew Oroitz was deceiving them, yet they said nothing out loud. Was it because they didn't know for sure? Just how many secrets was Oroitz hiding?

Frieza responded by checking his scouter, a delicate finger pressing against the button and examining the numbers that popped up, "Interesting. According to my scouter it's approximately twenty times normal gravity on this planet." He turned back to Zarbon and Dodoria, an interested look on his face. "Dodoria, how far are we from the Aureolinium reserves?"

"Two miles sir," Dodoria answered, "just to make sure we didn't damage any of the stuff." He flexed his muscles again, forcing his legs to move. After a few moments it looked like he could at least walk without too much difficulty.

"Good. I suppose we'll have to fly there." He sighed, as if the thought of taking to the air were a cumbersome task and turned to everyone, "Well, let's get a move on." Frieza jumped into the air, looking light as a feather save for his tail which pointed straight down at the ground.

Zarbon crouched and ignored the sudden pain in his thighs. If a damn Saiyan like Oroitz could stand twenty times gravity, then he could too! With a mighty push, he jumped into the purple sky and followed his Lord. Behind him Dodoria, Paar and the other took to the air as well. However the Captain's squad seemed to be having a much more difficult time than he or Dodoria.

Or Oroitz for that matter. The Saiyan was in the air last and it was obvious that he thought no one was looking for when he left the ground, his muscles didn't even twitch out of place. The scum. Once this was over and done with, he and Oroitz needed to have a _discussion._

Reizo and the others were still flying a bit behind them and their speed was lagging. It was so heavy though, even Zarbon and Dodoria were having trouble. The only one that looked vaguely at ease in the air was Lord Frieza. With a sigh, Reizo pushed his body forcefully through the air once he realized he was still just behind Letifer.

Well, Letifer _was_ stronger than he was but then again, Oroitz was second only to the Captain and he was way behind them. With a glance at his pony-tailed friend, Reizo gave him a small grin which Oroitz returned. Damn him, he didn't look nervous at all! Well, there was no doubt about it, Oroitz really was an idiot. All those spars must have damaged something in his head.

The landscape passed them all by in a single colored blur, the mountains and land blending into one jagged color of purple. It was getting colder too, the higher up they went and the extra strain from the heavy gravity wasn't helping either. If it weren't for their scouters, they would be hopelessly lost. How could anyone find their way around a planet as dull as this one?

Reizo spoke into his scouter, "How long have we been in the air?"

His Captain answered him, "About forty minutes, give or take. We should be getting there soon."

Just as Paar spoke, Solzt interrupted him, "Look! I think that's it!" He pointed a gloved finger towards the distance where a large structure was protruding from the ground. It looked very much like the volcano in the pictures and it was raised high above the earth. They were closing in quickly and the structure was become much larger, almost towering over them. The shots on the logs had not done it justice. It was huge!

There were life forces there as well and their scouters started to blip, numbers ranging from five to six thousand appearing on the screens.

"We're close," Said Dodoria, "My scouter is picking up a large amount of Cerisians in that direction." A pudgy finger pointed straight at the volcano.

In response, Frieza picked up his speed and his two lieutenants managed to catch up admirably. However, Reizo and his squad weren't as fortunate and despite their best efforts, they were still barely at Zarbon's tail. It was a bit of a comfort to see that even those two were having a difficult time adjusting to the gravity.

Of course, Oroitz was still hiding something. It was a miracle Frieza hadn't noticed because everyone else did. Reizo shot another look at his friend, still flying at the back as slowly as the others were. But his muscles didn't strain nor did he look even the slightest bit in discomfort over the gravity. At least he was getting used to it bit by bit and the weight wasn't as bad anymore.

They were nearing the base of the structure and from this range, it was apparent that the thing wasn't entirely natural. There was purple dirt and grass at the bottom but there were the telltale metal seams that told everyone the Cerisians also used artificial material to keep the structure stable. They floated upwards and saw a small bridge that extended from the body to what looked like an elevator.

Frieza landed on the metal platform first and his tail landed behind him in a heavy 'thunk.' Zarbon and Dodoria were the second ones to get there. Zarbon was delicate about the whole thing, landing on one extended leg first and then putting his whole weight down once he was sure of his balance. .Dodoria was much less graceful and he had to grab the railing to keep from sinking into the metal. His large feet already made dents in the walkway and he shrunk from Frieza's annoyed gaze.

Learning from Dodoria's mistake, Paar tried to land softly and succeeded for the most part. His gestured to the team, crooking his fingers gently and tilting his head towards Frieza.

With a nod, Letifer landed next and despite his huge build the alien managed to settle on the walkway without too much hassle. Lantern and Solzt were next and the former landed gracefully while the latter grabbed the railing and almost hauled himself over it before settling in a crouch.

Reizo and Oroitz were the last to land and just as the former suspected, Oroitz landed without even so much as a soft thud. He was completely silent while Reizo had barely managed to avoid denting the metal underneath him. It looked like Oroitz noticed it as well and looked panicked for a moment, shooting a frantic glance at Frieza but his face relaxed once he realized that Frieza hadn't noticed.

There was the sound of shifting muscles and Reizo noticed Paar's blue eyes staring intently at Oroitz. With a sigh, Reizo turned towards the rest and followed Lord Frieza into the darkness. But it was a sure thing, when they all got back to the ship; he and Oroitz were going to have to have a _discussion._

* * *

><p>The wide hallway was dark and even Goku had to squint his eyes to see through it. It wasn't absolute pitch blackness however, and there was a dim glow that didn't seem to be coming from artificial lighting. Actually, it seemed to be permeating through the walls like they were lit up inside. He placed a hand on them even though he couldn't really feel the texture through the thick gloves he wore. It was obvious the craftsmanship wasn't remarkable, even to inexperienced eyes like Goku's. The seams were there but there was still dirt and small plants growing through the cracks, spreading out like cobwebs against the metal.<p>

The floor was metal as well but there were moments where he almost tripped over small mounds of dirt. The Cerisians were pre-industrial; Goku had read in the logs, they barely understood the immeasurable benefits of that yellow stuff. Perfect pickings for someone like Frieza. How utterly _like_ the tyrant to waltz in on unsuspecting peoples and rip them apart, limb by limb. He suppressed a frown; he had already slipped up way too much here. It was a miracle no one called him out on it. Even his team mates were probably starting to suspect something.

The father they walked in the brighter it became and soon he didn't need to squint in order to see anything. The end of the hallway was still far away though, blocked by the bodies of Frieza and his men. The tyrant's small figure was outlined in a yellow glow so they were probably nearing the end of the long corridor. The hallway was incredibly bright now and the dark violet of the surroundings was giving way to the bright golden glow of the miracle resource.

Finally a moment later, all of them stepped out and found themselves situated high above the bubbling liquid. There were bridges everywhere, connecting together like an intricate cobweb above the magma like substance. There wasn't a single computer in sight, a big difference from Frieza's ship, Goku noted.

He leaned over the railing, looking down. There was at least a couple of hundred meters between them and the stuff but strangely enough, he wasn't feeling the intense heat that he associated with lava. The place was hot; a complete contrast to the chill outside but apparently the liquid wasn't as nearly as blistering.

Not that he wasn't boiling in his suit from the heat and from the looks of it; everyone was feeling the searing heat as well!

"Oh my," Frieza noted, tilting his horned head to glance leisurely at the Aureolinium, "How interesting."

Suddenly, there was the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps heading straight towards them and Goku's head shot up to see a group of what were most likely Cerisians. They were humanoid, but Goku couldn't see their faces for they wore something akin to a gasmask over their features. They wore primitive looking tunics that covered most of their bodies but there were small gaps where skin showed and surprisingly enough, it _wasn't_ purple. Instead, if he didn't count the golden glow from the Aureolinium, he could say that their skin was a dark orange color. Overall, they were small, almost hunching over like the gravity of their own planet was too much for them.

From what Goku could see though, they weren't nearly as frail as they looked for their Ki was actually high, higher than most of the aliens on Frieza's ship.

Still, none of the Cerisians matched any of them in terms of power.

There was gibberish and for a moment, Goku thought he had imagined it but in reality, one of the creatures in front of them had spoken. A wiry finger pointed itself as Frieza and the Cerisian at the front, the one with the lighter colored gas mask, spoke again.

Man, even in another language, "Halt, who are you?" was universal in tone.

There was a long, drawn out sigh from Frieza and he waved his hand in a gesture Goku knew too well, "Let me introduce myself. I am Lord Frieza, ruler of this Universe and you'll have to forgive us for the discourteous entrance but you see, you Cerisians posses something I am very interested in." His tail flicked behind him, slamming against one of the railings and completely crushing it under its weight, "Your Aureolinium."

The leader of their group said something again, adopting a defensive posture and raising his brown fists before him. The others behind followed his example and crouched into fighting stances, faces unreadable behind their masks.

There was an aggravated noise from Frieza and his smiling mouth turned downwards, "Really. Here I've come, traveled five days from my own ship and _this _is how I am treated?" The long pink tail flicked again, denting against the metal of the walkway, almost breaking it under their feet. "You will respond in common. I will not repeat myself."

"What are you here for?" The light masked Cerisian asked, not dropping his fists but his head tilted down slightly and his gaze looked it was focused on Frieza's tail.

Frieza's tone became pleasant again, his eyes squinting as he smiled affably at them, "See?" He turned an amused look towards Zarbon and his men, "We _can_ work things out!" Stepping forward, Goku was sickened to hear a dark chuckle from Frieza as the Cerisians stepped back, "Now. Your Aureolinium, I will make this simple. I want it and you will give it to me."

"Our-"The leader floundered and looked down at the liquid, "Our Ground Amber? Why?"

Zarbon stifled a giggled behind one hand, "Ground Amber! Really."

"Call it what you like," Frieza said again, "but I will have it." He waited for a moment and one of the Cerisians stepped forward,

"How dare you!" He raised a fist, pushing aside his leader to run forward. His energy was bubbling around him ferociously but no one other than Goku could feel it. Even then, he knew the man was rushing into death headfirst and only the bite of metal against his ankle kept his mouth shut. Instead, he clenched his fists so hard it hurt through the gloves.

There was a flick against his thigh and he looked to see Letifer's tail swinging before him in warning. Angrily, he frowned at Letifer's back.

The Cerisian was propelling himself forward, running agilely despite the gravity but before he even reached Frieza, Dodoria's large pink hand was wrapped around his neck. There was a cruel laugh and the chokehold tightened, a second later there was the sickening sound of cracking bone.

Goku looked away, clenching his eyes shut.

"Careful Dodoria," Frieza said mildly, "Don't drop him in the Aureolinium."

Dodoria merely chuckled and let the limp body fall to the metal walkway with a dull thump.

In front of the crumpled corpse, the other Cerisians stepped back. Their energy was no longer boiling furiously and now the familiar twinge of fear was infecting itself into them. Goku had killed enough to know the sickening change by now and it still managed to disgust him. Sweat pooled at the base of his neck and he snuffed the need to charge up and throw the bastard over the railing and down into their precious Aureolinium.

"Now, now." Frieza snickered, stepping over the falling body, "Let's not be quick to throw away our lives, worthless as they are. You are _clearly_ outmatched and I would suggest your rethink your current course of action for it can only lead to one, inevitable conclusion: _your death._"

"Why-why do you want it?" The leader asked, backing away. The others behind him were no longer standing as confidently as before and their stances were dropped.

"Oh that's quite simple," Frieza answered patiently, incredibly polite despite standing over the dead body of their friend, "Your 'Ground Amber' is a fantastic resource, like a miracle cure for all of my problems so to speak." He waved at the liquid below him, "Your backwards civilization isn't deserving of such a fantastic material. Now enough with the pleasantries, where is the source of the Aureolinium?"

There was a moment of silence again, and Frieza's tail simply whipped about while they chatted among themselves. It was a moment too long though and Frieza motioned to Zarbon again.

With a light chuckle, Zarbon stepped forward even though his body looked heavy and lifted a finger. A flash later, another Cerisian fell to the floor in a charred heap of flesh and cloth.

The smell of burning flesh assaulted his nostrils and Goku's stomach did several somersaults in his abdomen. Letifer's tail flicked against his thigh again and the large blue giant's head turned just a bit, enough for Goku to catch the warning in his sunken eyes.

_I know, I __**know**__. _He replied silently, casting his eyes down to the floor and his boots. He badly wished he didn't have to see the gold-tipped footwear that marked him Frieza's solder and he wanted to throw away the stupid scouter that was impeding his vision.

"Please follow us," the leader said softly, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides in frustration. "I'll take you to the leader, the greatest of our people." His voice was muffled through the mask but there was no mistaking the tinge of sadness and defeat that laced his words. The others were silent and Goku couldn't see their features but he could imagine their faces, eyes filled with sadness and desperation. It was a sigh he had seen often but never gotten used to.

That was a small comfort at least.

With that, the Cerisians began to walk back where they came from and with a sigh, Frieza shrugged and followed them. Apparently he was willing to oblige their request for a while, even seeming to take amusement in their fear. He turned to them and focused his beady eyes on Paar, "If they try to pull anything suspicious, make an example of them."

"Yes, Lord Frieza." Paar replied quickly and began to follow Zarbon and Dodoria as they walked behind their lord.

It was long walk and they were led through a series of bridges and interconnected hallways. They were getting further and further away from the Aureolinium and the glow was starting to diminish as they descended further and further into the ground. The natural daylight from outside wasn't in view either and they arrived at a staircase that descended further below.

So the Cerisians lived underground? Was that why there were no pictures of them or anything about their customs detailed in the mission logs or Planet files?

It was getting darker and darker, almost to the point that Goku had to place a hand on the walls to guide him along. Eventually, one of the Cerisians did something with his hands and a small flame like ball of energy appeared in his hand, lighting the way.

That was good, Goku realized as he looked at Zarbon's annoyed face, if the Cerisians _had_ kept the hallway dark and tried something, they would most certainly have to kill them. This way, at least they survived and Goku sighed in relief. His hands would remain clean just a little bit longer.

A few more minutes passed and their entire group shuffled through the hallway that was becoming smaller and smaller until they were almost forced to walk in a single file line. Frieza's Ki was starting to waver, obviously annoyed.

Letifer and Paar had to crouch to fit and Goku couldn't even begin to wonder how Dodoria was getting through.

"How much longer?" Frieza's irritated voice cut through the silence. His tail flicked across and slammed into one of the walls, denting it and making the earth around them shudder. Small pieces of dirt and other things fell through the metal seams onto them and one of the Cerisians turned around with his hands in the air,

"Please! You'll collapse the tunnels. It's just a little bit further." He pointed his finger at the distance but Goku couldn't see anything in that darkness. Cerisians probably had perfect vision in the dark for they hadn't even taken off their masks.

"It had better be," Frieza's tail flopped back to the ground, "I am starting to lose my patience." For a moment it looked like he was about to slam his tail into the ground again but even he probably didn't like the prospect of being buried alive so he simply frowned and continued to follow them.

The Cerisian had been speaking the truth and a few minutes later, they appeared before a door that was a dull golden color in hue. It wasn't completely smooth, just like the metal that held the walls together and Goku realized that it was probably that Aureolinium stuff. But it was just as Frieza and the others had stated, the Aureolinium looked like it had just been discovered.

Frieza and the others had noticed as well and Goku could see Frieza's eyes roving over the door, obviously amused as the fact that the Cerisians couldn't yet harness the resource properly. The leader of the group placed his hands on the door and said something in their native language. Then the door started to glow and Zarbon raised a delicate green eyebrow at the sight.

The entire hallway began to light up, a contrast of purple and yellow until the door began to shift, moving to the side. The light masked leader went first, since he was at the front of the line. Then his group followed and then Frieza. Zarbon and Dodoria went next and they were followed by Paar.

Goku was last, just behind Letifer and his nightmarish friend had to severely crouch to get through the entrance. He took a good few seconds after Reizo to fit through but once he was in, Goku followed.

What met his sight was completely unexpected. Far below the monochromatic surface of Planet Cerise lay a sprawling metropolis, a vastly constructed city. Though the hallway they had come from was small and narrow, the city before them was immense and the ceiling was almost impossibly high. How far underground had they gone?

Below the ridge they stood on, Goku saw almost hundreds and hundreds of violet colored dwellings, all varying in size and shape. Some were short and square, almost toweringly large and others looked like rising pillars with extending discs. Everywhere around him, Goku could feel the distinct energy of the people. There were probably thousands of Cerisians here, maybe more.

His friends were amazed as well; Solzt and Lantern were staring dumbfounded at the massive city. Even Frieza, Zarbon and Dodoria looked surprised, as if they hadn't been expecting anything like it either. Frieza's energy was quelled, no longer irritated and he stared down at the metropolis with more than a passing interest.

"This is most unusual." He said with his horned head tilted, "I was not quite expecting his, I'll admit."

"Neither was I!" Zarbon said, "It's amazing!"

"For a horde of ants? No doubt." Frieza said and Dodoria snickered beside him, throwing Zarbon a laughing glance.

The Cerisians said nothing and descended onto a staircase that led to a large building near the ridge. Frieza followed, his mood apparently lightened by the large expansive cavern. Even though he didn't like having anything in common with Frieza, but Goku was also glad to be out of those narrow corridors. The dark and dense never did anything for him.

Was the gravity here a bit stronger as well? It probably was because he felt a little bit heavier, like he was wearing an extra layer of clothing. But the others were feeling it differently and he could see that Reizo and Paar were almost struggling against the gravity. Letifer, Lantern and Solzt did no better and their backs were hunched over, similar to the Cerisians they followed. He could even see Frieza's long pink tail dragging behind him, leaving a small trail for the rest to walk over.

This time, he was prepared and Goku hunched with them, appearing to drag his feet behind him. He didn't want to stick out and when Frieza called him out on it, he had been completely unaware of his obliviousness. Thankfully, he had managed to get himself out of that one quite well.

There were other Cerisians now and they stared at them in confusion. Goku could see small bits of black hair extending from the bottom of their masks, but their faces remained a mystery to him. There were all small, similar to the Cerisians they followed. Other than the masks that seemed like a staple item in their daily life, they wore long tunics that stopped at the ankles. Unsurprisingly purple, the cloth draped over them, stopping at the wrists where small brown hands emerged.

As they passed with their group, the Cerisians backed away into their little houses, closing crude doors made of Aureolinium behind them. They were nearing one of the buildings, a large dome where half of the top was made of Aureolinium. The building itself was a light purple and looked like it was made of stone and metal. They approached the door, much larger than the one in the hallway. It looked more like a gate and the leader placed his hands on the door again, speaking in their native tongue. Similar to the other door, the entrance shifted and they were led inside.

The room they were in was large, almost as big as the building itself and Goku suspected that there was only that one room in the entire structure. The ground was tiled and made of metal, no different than the walls. It was filled with hundreds of plants, all purple in color and they lined the walls and the floor. However, the unnatural lighting of the Aureolinium made everything a dull golden color. It looked like a green (Purple?) house, almost like a jungle of one, blurry, purple flower.

In the very center of the building, there stood a figure. The creature was different from the Cerisians, taller and leaner. Goku couldn't see his face, but this one wore no mask for his hair cascaded in a bright golden waterfall down his back.

The Cerisian that had led them turned to Frieza and lowered his voice to a whisper, "Please stay here." He waited until Frieza shrugged in acquiescence, a small sound of agreement coming from him as if he had to tear it from the bottom of his chest. Then, he ran forward to the creature and Goku realized the Cerisian was only half the height of the alien he stood before.

He said something Goku couldn't understand and bowed before running straight past Frieza and towards the gate he had entered from. His companions followed him and after a moment, Goku turned to see the gate shift close behind them, leaving him and everyone else alone in the leader's presence.

The silence stretched for a few minutes and eventually, Frieza spoke, "Is this how you treat all your guests? How rude."

Goku felt nervous for a moment, scouting the blond-haired alien's energy. It wasn't high, and Goku doubted he was suppressing it either way. If he didn't turn around, then Goku feared the worst. However, his fears were allayed when the alien responded. Slowly turning around to face them, Goku wondered if he were the only one whose jaw dropped several meters to land against the floor in a hard thud.

The creature wasn't really a _creature_ at all! It was, a woman? A man? Goku couldn't tell. In any case, its face was a peachy color, almost human and its features were delicate, almost like a woman's. The alien's two eyes were bright purple just like the flowers that surrounded it and golden tendrils of its hair framed its lean face. One long, slender hand came to sweep forward in a gesture of welcome, extending from the dark purple tunic it wore and thin lips stretched into a smile that was both welcoming and cold.

When it spoke, there was no doubt that the rich timbre was that of a man's, "Greetings. Welcome to our city. I am called Yarrow and I am the leader of these people. What brings you here my friends?"


	15. The Tyrant and Desperate Plans

Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update. My computer is still giving me slight problems and I will have to ask you all to be a bit patient while I fix the issues. But no worries, I still plan on releasing chapters quickly.

I have a single note to make though before I start and it's about the Multi Form technique. As far as I remember, Goku had never been shown to do this technique _but_…Gogeta can. Since Gogeta is a fusion of Goku (who had known Tien for a long, long time) and Vegeta (and I can't imagine Vegeta learning the technique), I am going to assume that Goku had learned it but has never utilized it for obvious reasons.

Anyways, if anyone finds strange inconsistencies, please feel free to PM me! I sometimes don't notice things until they're pointed out to me!

On to Chapter 15!

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><p>At least this creature, this <em>Yarrow<em> was far more pleasing to look at than the wretched faces of the vermin that lived here. Really, a civilization under the ground? Amusing that the Cerisians lived under the dirt, similar to their state of technological and cultural advancement.

If it weren't for the presence of the Aureolinium, Frieza would have gladly personally blown it up. For now, the thought of torturing the scout that had conveniently forgotten to mention the gravity would have to do. It was ridiculously stifling down here as well and there was nothing more irritating than feeling sweat pool at his collarbone. He hated the heat, it always made him slow.

"My name is Lord Frieza and I am the ruler of this Universe. I am interested in your planet's Aureolinium. I believe your people call it Ground Amber." It was so annoying to constantly have to introduce himself but it would be pointless to expect such a worthless civilization to have heard of his greatness. In any case, he would be glad to educate them.

"Ah, the Ground Amber." Yarrow said, reaching into his purple robe and pulling out an amulet made of that material. Gently, he stroked a thumb over it, "Our people have been using it for decades-"

Frieza didn't bother to hide the shock on his face, mouth rounding into an astounded 'O.'

"Really?" He interrupted, looking up at the dome with a distasteful curl to his lip. "One can hardly tell. Oh forgive me, "He amended with a small smile, not bothered in the least at Yarrow's insulted look, "do continue your fascinating story."

Yarrow looked annoyed and a small sliver of pleasure cascaded down Frieza's back and vaguely, he hoped the stupid alien would do something daring. Perhaps launch himself at Frieza and attempt to bring him down for such insults? The result would be laughable, but amusing nonetheless. However, the creature didn't rise to his bait and Frieza sighed in response. If listening to his story was what Yarrow wanted, Frieza would oblige him. Better that the leader of this pitiful peons understood now who the superior was.

It would make it much easier to keep the rest of them around as slaves. Really, he had better things to do than spend his time underground killing ants.

"We have been using this for decades," Yarrow continued but his eyes had narrowed though his body didn't move. His hand stilled over the amulet and he tucked it back in before resuming his explanation, "It is indeed a marvelous material but I cannot give it to you."

"And why is that?" The predictability of these primitive races was starting to get a bit boring. Even in this heavy gravity environment, they stood no chance and unless their leader offered some useful information, Frieza would start picking them off until he did.

"You see the Aureolinium, as you call it, is produced at the very core of this planet. I cannot 'give' a planet to you." Was the answer that Yarrow gave Frieza, but there was no mistaking the spark of pleasure that flared in the creature's violet eyes.

"I beg to differ." Frieza said, stepping forward. He was still annoyed at how his tail dragged against the ground and finally, he exerted enough force to lift it from the floor. How unsightly, to be seen dragging it around like a dead animal. "You can indeed give your planet to me. It will make a fine addition to the rest that I own." His hand was already at his scouter, reading Yarrow's power level.

Oh my, an astonishing 5800. He was quaking in his proverbial boots. When he chuckled at the sight of Yarrow's measly power level, the creature finally snapped.

"I will not-"Yarrow started but Frieza interrupted his tirade before it dragged on and became boring,

"Resist if you must, but I'll have you know that you are only digging your grave if you do." With a sigh, he heard the others shift behind him. They were mostly useless here, but they were still able to get around and kill the pests if need be. If all else came to pass, Frieza would take the dirty job himself.

_What a thankless existence_, Frieza thought_, cleaning out scum from the Universe…but someone has to do it._

The blond haired Cerisian stalked forward, his lean frame by no means intimidating. It looked like he was going to strike out but he stopped short several feet of Frieza, his mouth twisted in a snarl that looked unfit for such a pretty face, "You dare mock us?" Leaning back almost triumphantly, Yarrow crossed his thin arms over his frail looking chest, "I will have you know that this entire time, an _army_ of my people has surrounded this building." Lowering his voice to a whisper in a manner he thought threatening and continued, "Thousands of them are just outside this structure. Luck is not on your side it seems."

Frieza sighed; annoyed at the ongoing farce that was taking his time and patience. "Thousands, you say?" He turned to Zarbon and Dodoria, glancing quickly over the Captain of the squad, "Did you hear that? _Thousands_ of worthless mice all in one place." Satisfied with their light chuckles, Frieza turned back to Yarrow. He was pleased to see the alien's victorious look replaced with dread. "How kind of you to shorten the process."

This was all getting to be dreadfully tedious and his patience was starting wear thin. If there was anything he hated other than bad haircuts, military insurrection and cowardice, it would be having his time wasted; something these Cerisians were proving to be adept at.

Frieza exhaled a long bored breath and pressed his scouter again. So, their leader had not been lying. For indeed his scouter was picking up several hundred life forces amassed right outside the building. Checking to see that his men were also aware of the pitiful forces outside and satisfied with Zarbon's light nod, he turned back to Yarrow and savored the fear that was taking root in his violet eyes.

With an irritated glare, he stares are Yarrow, no longer amused by the situation. "Just so you know, this could have been avoided and please banish whatever hopes you have that your primitively archaic weaponry will be of any use." Raising a delicate hand to wave nonchalantly at his men, he sighs, "Well, do what you must."

There is the sound of shifting feet and Frieza feels a gust of wind on his back that tells him the others have taken to the air. Ah, good thinking. It's easier to take down a cluster of Cerisians from air than on ground. Well, these men have survived this long and Frieza would be disappointed if they hadn't had at least _some_ semblance of thought. His thoughts were interrupted when a blast shot straight through the building, rocking the roof above their heads and Frieza shook his head, he took back that thought. The men were still mostly brainless imbeciles with the exception of Zarbon and Dodoria. He glanced back quickly and saw that his two men still stood behind him.

Yarrow looked frightened, shaking in place. He had clearly underestimated their power, a mistake that many had made before him and probably would for years to come. The leader was backing away, looking back and forth for an escape but Frieza stood before the doors to the building and the impromptu exit that his men had made led only to the battlefield.

"I fear that you have nowhere to go. However, you can cease this pointless bloodshed if you submit." It was an offer that Yarrow would be wise to take if he wished his people to survive. Of course Frieza wasn't going to have them _all_ killed, but the idiot creature didn't need to know that. What use was Aureolinium if there was no one to harvest it?

Ignoring the dumbstruck and quivering leader, Frieza gazed towards where the captain's squad had gone. There were pitiful wails of terror and fear, a cacophony of death filling the air and Frieza inhaled it like it was a discernible scent. The smell of burning flesh drifted towards them and Frieza wrinkled his small nose, frowning, slightly annoyed that it was getting hotter from the energy blasts being thrown outside.

Yarrow had still not responded but Frieza noted –with no small satisfaction- the absolutely desolate look on his face. Those purple eyes that had looked at him with so much insolence and worthless self-importance were wide with fear and he bit his lips, chin quivering, stare locked onto the bodies of his people that were littering the floor outside. His entire body was trembling beneath that robe and his skin had gone completely pale and with a defeated groan, the dim-witted being fell to his hands and knees.

"Please-"he croaked, thick voice stretching thin with sadness, "Please-don't. Stop, I'll do as you ask."

_Ah, progress. I am quite persuasive._ With a snide chuckle, Frieza motioned to Zarbon and his green-haired henchman spoke into his scouter, calling the men back. The motions outside ceased and thankfully, so did the ear splitting screeches of death. There was a whooshing sound and the squad appeared behind their hideously orange captain, landing behind Frieza.

With distaste, the Tyrant noted the specks of blood that speckled the formerly mostly immaculate armor. Most of the blood was no surprise, purple, but there were also alarming streaks of _red_ and _blue._ How were his men having trouble here? Really. You'd think that a minimum power level of 10,000 would be _leagues_ above the vermin here but when the red skinned one dropped to his feet with a heavy thud, Frieza remembered.

_That infernal gravity. Those responsible for this hideous oversight will pay thousand fold for this if I lose any men. _It wasn't the thought of losing men that bothered him, not in the least, but it was the prospect that it could have been avoided. Certainly their power levels were absolutely pitiful compared to Frieza's own but in relation to most of the men on the ship, they were powerful. It would be an absolutely wearisome to have to find suitable replacements.

_Hm,_ Frieza looked over the black pony-tailed man. At least that one looked to be cleaner than the others but his grim face and downcast eyes weren't pleasing to look at in the least. But...maybe they were less incompetent than he thought.

When the rest landed beside their red-skinned comrade, Frieza finally turned his attention back to the kneeling creature before him with a satisfied smile. "Oh don't look so defeated," He said with a small laugh, eyeing the way those hands clenched against the floor, "Your sudden development of sense has saved many insignificant lives. Now, back to the matter at hand: The Aureolinium."

There was a small sob, then the blond alien raised his head to Frieza and his eyes were swimming with frustrated tears, "I- I will take you to the core. Please, just don't hurt any others!"

Frieza rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly, amused at the words and shrugged. It wasn't a promise of course, but others were usually stupid enough to interpret it as one. Yarrow didn't disappoint either and his shoulders slumped in obvious relief.

Stranding on two shaking legs, the handsome leader looked Frieza straight in the eyes, the fires of rebellion still burning though it had definitely been dimmed. "You must wait for two days."

"What?" Frieza asked after a moment, trying to comprehend what the Cerisian was saying. "Elucidate." His ire was rising again; there had better be a fantastic explanation for this. Yarrow wasn't irreplaceable and maybe it was time to make that known.

Yarrow's mouth worked, thin lips opening and closing in quick explanation, "The gate to the core of Ground Amber is sealed and requires care to open." When Frieza's tail flicked to the ground, sending fragments of stone and metal into the air, Yarrow stepped back and stuttered, "P-please, I speak the truth. The core itself is fragile and if the correct precautions are not taken, the results might be disastrous!"

Hm. That was problematic indeed but Frieza was not yet convinced. "Take me there. Now."

Yarrow nodded and led them to the back of the building. They stepped over rubble and fallen pottery but Frieza just swiped them aside with his tail. He still wore his satisfied little smile because it made him chuckle mentally every time Yarrow's eyes blazed in hopeless defiance at the sight.

There was shuffling behind him, his soldiers moving slowly after him. The gravity was still affecting them and it was a minor annoyance even for Frieza to constantly keep his tail up. He was still displeased about the fact that these Cerisians could actually pose a threat to his men because of their innate resistance to the heavy atmosphere.

The heat was starting to get on his nerves and the sweltering air made his limbs feel sluggish. However, Frieza did not let that show and he continued confidently, following Yarrow. Well he had to admit; at least the yellow color of the man's hair was a good break in the monotonous violet shades of this stupid planet.

Yarrow stopped, standing over a small panel on the floor that was inscribed with their gibberish language. He looked at Frieza, "Please step back."

Frieza did so but look Yarrow square in the eye, voice amiable but with a heavy undertone of threat, "If this is a trick, expect your people to pay the price of your folly."

There was a small nod and Yarrow started speaking, a strange chanting noise. It was difficult to comprehend how an already disgusting sounding language could get even _worse_ but there it was, assaulting his ears with all the charm of a dying animal. Frieza felt a muscle in his cheek twitch and he clenched his hands behind his back in annoyance.

The sight was certainly strange though and Yarrow's already bright purple eyes began to glow. His peachy skin started…changing? No, it was _script!_ Words were appearing on the man's flesh, covering every inch of exposed skin and swirling around him like they were sentient. The chanting was getting louder and slowly it began to sound like an echo, bouncing around the desiccated building. The strange words began to glow and the script started to run down Yarrow's neck and disappear into his robe, reappearing from the sleeves to collect on his hands.

A moment later, the light pinkish color of his skin became black as the words overlapped to look like he painted his hands. Crouching down to one knee, Yarrow continued his chant and placed his black hands on the metallic floor.

There was a slight gasp from behind him, probably Dodoria, when the dark color on Yarrow's hands dispersed onto the panel and spread around him in a circular shape. There looked to be several dozen lines of text surrounding Yarrow, extending almost a full five feet from the creature. The lines spun around him and Frieza suddenly understood what was happening.

It was a lock. So Yarrow was a key of sorts, good thing they hadn't killed him.

Whatever that panel was, it had to be unlocked before they could –ugh- _descend_ further into the detestable depths of this planet. No doubt the heat would be intense the closer they got to the source of the Aureolinium and the thought wasn't heartening in the _least._

After a few minutes of nonstop chanting, Frieza thought his head would burst. He made a note to himself to make it mandatory to speak only common on all his planets. But finally a few seconds after that thought, the chanting ceased and the text started to come together in a spiral. Each unintelligible symbol seemed to melt into another one and they practically sunk into the floor, making large grooves as they did. Yarrow stepped away and suddenly, there was a spiral staircase that led straight down into wherever they were going to go.

_How frivolous and utterly impractical,_ Frieza thought. That had taken five or ten minutes, a good amount of time that could have been used doing something vastly more important. Once all of this was done, he was going to kill Yarrow personally if only because he forced Frieza to sit through several minutes of that foul language.

Yarrow brought a foot down on the first step and Frieza turned to the large blue alien, "You." He pointed a finger and the alien stepped forward,

"Yes?"

"Stay here. Make sure others don't follow. If they step into the building, deal with them." He ordered.

The blue alien smiled, two rows of sharp teeth, "Got it."

Satisfied, Frieza followed Yarrow down the staircase. Thankfully, it didn't look long and certainly not nearly as narrow as the hallways from when they first arrived. Frieza was a dignified creature, a mighty ruler and rulers did _not_ stoop through small hallways. That was better left to the inferior creatures that surrounded him. Oh if only the Aureolinium weren't so important, he wouldn't have even _glanced_ in the vague _direction_ of this planet.

The room beneath the building was quite large and when Frieza stepped off the staircase behind Yarrow, he took a moment to look around. It was sparse, nothing but a few tables and chairs and the consistently horrid metallic workmanship that was so rampant on this planet. And just as he had predicted, it was almost boiling hot here, almost airless and he hated the fact that he had to take deep breaths.

But the sight at the far end of the room immediately grabbed Frieza's attention, making him forget about the sweat that was starting to gather under his armor.

_Oh._

It was a door thought it looked more like a vault. Unlike the shoddy metal work that held the walls and floor, this door was a fine piece. The dull bronze was flawless and towering, several meters taller than even the large blue creature he had left outside to guard the staircase. The metal seams of the door were so smooth they almost melded together and there was a large glyph in the center. There were other smaller swirls that decorated it and expanded in an intricate design that even Frieza found appealing to look at.

Stepping forward, Frieza made to put his hand on the door when Yarrow cried out,

"No! Stop!"

Frieza stopped in his tracks, hand only inches away from the metal of the door. Yarrow's eyes were panicked and Frieza pulled away, convinced of the leader's dread. "This is the door to the core of the Aureolinium?"

Yarrow nodded and came to stand before Frieza and the door, "It cannot be touched by anyone but me."

Frieza frowned, not liking this information at all. "What happens when someone else touches it?"

Shaking his blond head, Yarrow glanced at the design and pointed to the glyph, "The door only reacts to my chant and only when it has accepted the password it will open."

Chant? Oh that was disheartening. "What did you mean when you spoke of two days?" Frieza asked, bringing his hands behind his back though it felt like his limbs were slow to respond. Was he breathing harder than usual?

"The Chant takes two full days to complete-"Frieza sighed in annoyance,

"Why can we not just blast the door open?" His patience was starting to wear thinner and thinner. Leave it to a technologically backwards race to construct something so pointless.

"You would unbalance the core and your _precious," _Yarrow spat the word at Frieza, "Aureolinium would be ruined."

The tyrant's tail dented the metal below him, "I would advise you not to assume that tone with me. I do not take kindly to insolence." But Yarrow's arrogant grin didn't disappear from his face and Frieza finally let his tail loose, whipping the blonde haired alien straight across the face.

Yarrow landed across the floor, crying out in pain and clutching his cheek. Though he nursed the wound and winced, Yarrow got on his elbows and laughed, "Hit me all you want but you can't open this door without me."

"Captain," Frieza glanced at the orange alien and the dragon like creature came forward to stand beside him.

"Yes?" He asked and centered bright blue eyes on Frieza's red ones.

Frieza turned around and motioned the Captain to follow, bringing them to stand a meter or so away from the fallen leader, "The Cerisians had weapons?"

"Yes, they had something similar to guns but they seem to use their own power to fuel it."

Frieza couldn't stifle a small laugh, the news amusing him. So these backwards creatures had a power level of five to six thousand and they couldn't even harness it? Sighing Frieza asked, "You scanned their weapons I assume?"

The Captain nodded, horned head bobbing up and down. Good, a competent captain.

"Composition?"

"Mostly metal, wrought iron welded into a cylindrical barrel with minor usage of Aureolinium. The craftsmanship is not advanced and after a few shots, they begin losing aim and power. The first shot is enough to break our armor but the second and third shots lose significant power and accuracy."

Frieza snickered under his breath and turned to the vault, pressing his scouter to scan it. It was pure Aureolinium. "Can they break through the vault with their…I am hesitant to call them weapons."

The Captain shook his head, "No sir, perhaps if they banded several dozen. Their first shot _might_ work but their chances are slim and get slimmer by the second and third shots."

_That is good news,_ Frieza thought and nodded at the Captain. _That means they cannot destabilize the core themselves._ It would be most annoying if the creatures got it in their heads to destroy the Aureolinium to keep it from Frieza's grasp.

Walking back to Yarrow, Frieza eyed the slender man who had stood up already. "I will need you to open the gate and I will have my men stationed here to make sure that the pointless hope of rebellion doesn't inconveniently strike up."

"I-" Yarrow began, looking down at the floor, "I can't do that right now."

"Oh?" Frieza asked, "Why not?"

"To begin with," The robed alien began, "I need to drink a special mixture that will allow me to stay awake for two days without sustenance or sleep." His eyes widened, violet irises blooming with panic as if he said something he hadn't intended to. Most interesting.

"What happens if your chant is interrupted?" Frieza ventured, looking at the door.

"Nothing." Yarrow said hastily and Frieza sighed, pressing the button on the scouter.

The alien stationed above the staircase, the scouter said his name was Letifer. "Letifer," Frieza said into the device.

"Yes my lord?" The thick voice came from the other side of the scouter.

"I remembered that you might be bored stiff up there, so I would like you to dispose of some Cerisians. The more agonizing you make their deaths, the better." When he received an affirmative response, he turned to Yarrow's horrified face. "Your choice. Either way, you will tell me the truth."

He took off his scouter, pressing a button and there was the sound of a shrill scream, amplified from the speakers. Frieza watched with delight as Yarrow rushed forward and fell to his knees, "Please! I'll tell you anything! Don't hurt them."

Frieza nodded, "Wise decision. You would do well to remember that I dislike being lied to." Placing the scouter back on his head, Frieza spoke again, "You may kill whoever you are torturing and cease…" he looked down at Yarrow's panicked eyes, "For the moment."

"Yes sir." Said Letifer and there was a distinct gurgling noise before everything was silent again.

Frieza waited for Yarrow to gather his wits and speak, his tail swishing back and forth threateningly behind his small body.

"If the chant is interrupted, the door is locked and access is closed for a month." The words were soft, defeated and Frieza felt another wave of annoyance wash over him.

"You mean to tell me that your worthless civilization designed such a useless failsafe?" The words were angry and Frieza's nerves were frazzled. The heat was aggravating him and the thought of waiting another _month_ for the Aureolinium was not pleasing. Not even in the slightest.

It was time to stop being civil.

Yarrow winced beneath the harsh words, handsome face scrunching up and mouth turning down in a scared frown. Stepping back, he stared fearfully at Frieza's tail and shot a panicked glance at Frieza's men, as if he would get any help from them.

"You will have this mixture made," Frieza began, stalking closer to the infuriatingly stupid creature, "and you will begin your chant. You will succeed in opening this door and you _**will**_ give me access to the core." Frieza's voice lowered into a dark threat, eyes glaring daggers and fists clenched against his back, "If you do not accomplish this task, know that I will _personally_ rip your people limb from limb and I will make it last for a month. You will witness firsthand the results of your incompetence. Do I make myself perfectly clear, you dumb animal?"

The animal's head bobbed up and down in a nod and his voice shook when he answered, "Y-yes."

"Tell me how long this mixture takes to create and remember the consequences of _lying._" Frieza asked and pointedly brought his hand up to brush against the scouter.

"Half an hour." The terrified leader stuttered, backing against the wall, "Half an hour to gather the materials and another fifteen or so minutes to create it."

Finally some good news. Frieza nodded in understanding, relieved that this horrible excursion would take no more than three days at the most. "Needless to say, I wish for you to start immediately. I am on a tight schedule and I have spent far more time on this worthless piece of rock than I care to admit."

Leaning back, Frieza was satisfied by Yarrow's cowering. "Good. I will be leaving several of my men here to make sure everything goes as planned." Turning to Dodoria, Frieza spoke, "Dodoria, stay here and keep me updated. I will be heading back to the ship as I have had enough of these vile cretins and their backwards civilization."

Dodoria nodded, a grin spreading across his tubby face, "And if they try something?"

Frieza let a smile stretch across his face, black lips quirking upwards at Dodoria's enthusiasm. With a decisive look he answered, "Have fun."

Dodoria's smile spread impossibly wider and his eyes twinkled in barely restrained excitement, "Got it."

Good. Now it was time for him to head back to his ship. The heat was already unbearable and ever step he made towards the stairs felt heavy and slow. It was already humiliating enough to have to walk all the way down into this dismal planet but the gravity and sweltering heat were absolutely insulting. He had no intention of staying here, only return when the door was successfully opened to make sure the extraction process was done to the letter.

He glanced at Zarbon as he passed the light green creature. Zarbon was indeed competent but from the already tiring events of earlier, Frieza wanted to be absolutely sure that things went perfectly. After all, this was his empire they were talking about.

As he ascended the stairs, he nodded to Letifer and the creature kicked aside several mutilated bodies of Cerisians out of the way. The others were moving behind him though they were slow because of the heavy weight of their own bodies. It didn't matter, in two days his plans would come to perfect fruition. As he walked out of the building and made his way back to the hallways they arrived from, he couldn't suppress a smile of sheer glee.

Oh just to imagine Cooler's face at the Intergalactic Kold Gala when he announced the acquisition of Aureolinium… He couldn't _wait_ to reveal the news to his dear, _dear_ brother.

* * *

><p>Finally when Frieza was finally out of his sight back on the ship, Goku spit blood onto the purple grass of Planet Cerise before he followed his team inside. The skin of his cheek stung from where he had bitten it. It had taken <em>everything<em> in him not to slam Frieza's face into the floor and kill him.

It was only the sting of metal against his ankle and his squad's eyes that kept him from moving as he watched the cruel bastard torture Yarrow. When Frieza had ordered Letifer to torture a Cerisian, he had almost moved but Paar's blue eyes had locked onto him and had frozen him in place. He couldn't do anything. Here he wasn't Goku; he was Oroitz…just another soldier.

The thought infuriated him and the taste of blood welled in his mouth as he tried to suppress his power from rising uncontrollably. It would ruin everything if he were discovered, he couldn't risk it but Frieza's snide and cruel voice grated on his nerves and Goku could truly say that he had _never_ craved to smash his fist in someone's face so badly.

There was something else that had kept him from acting out, that had kept his feet planted on the floor other than Paar and his friends.

It was Yarrow. The beautiful man's eyes had flickered to him several times and Goku tried to answer his pleas, apologizing silently as Frieza's tail whipped across his cheek. He had apologized again, choking back a sob when the sound of a dying Cerisian echoed through the room. Had apologized when the smell of burning Cerisian flesh had lingered in his nostril the entire way back.

Had apologized desperately in his head for spilling their blood, trying to explain that he had killed them as quickly as possible. Shot them straight through the heart so that they died before they realized they were even hit.

And then the most amazing thing happened, Yarrow said he understood.

No, the slender leader hadn't said it out loud but a feeling echoed through Goku's head as if was his own. But it wasn't. It was different; the feeling had a strange taste.

_Telepath?_ Goku had asked, speaking to him with wide eyes and tightened jaw. He hoped no one would notice and glanced away when Zarbon's gaze fell on him momentarily.

There was no answer. Well, not in definitive words. Instead, anguish and sorrow passed through his body. It was so keen that Goku could almost mistake it as his own feelings but when Yarrow's eyes locked onto his momentarily, Goku realized that Yarrow _was_ a telepath. Just not in the conventional sense.

It all made sense now! How else had all those Cerisians known to surround the building when they first arrived? Yarrow must have contacted them telepathically!

But how were they communicating? Goku was no Cerisian.

There was a sensation of fitting together, like everything in the world made sense. He felt like his soul meshed with Yarrow's though the fit was jagged at best.

Suddenly, he didn't know how but he understood. He had been exposed to telepathy before and it made him susceptible to that kind of communication. Indeed he had read Krillin's mind when he had landed on Namek and King Kai often spoke to him telepathically. It would have to make sense for now.

A plea passed through him, a question. A small flicker of hope when Goku responded. He didn't know how to send feelings, so he replied the only way he knew how: _I'm Goku._ _I'm so sorry._

A jumble this time, a mixture of strange sensations and panic. Danger, like an incessant alarm in his head.

_I know,_ Goku responded, _is there any way to save you?_

Hope. A small spark of rebellion that Frieza couldn't snuff out.

_What do you need?_ Goku's voice reverberated through his head, strangely amplified, almost like an echo.

Familiarity and warmth. Core. The Aureolinium?

_What about it? What?_ This time Goku responded with fervor, a light of hope sparking within him as well, this time his own feelings.

Suddenly, Goku felt grimy…like he was soaked to the bone in dirt and mud. Disgusting and filthy, like his very soul was polluted. Wait. That was it! He didn't know how he understood, but he did. _Pollution? Core?_

Relief flooded his body and Goku's knees almost went weak with the force of it. Frieza was laughing at Yarrow but despite the fact that he knelt at the feet of the cruel tyrant, the sensation of relief was still strong and coursing through Goku like heady alcohol.

_You can pollute the core? You can pollute the Aureolinium?_

When he felt content, Goku understood that he had guessed correctly.

_How?_

Curiosity. Goku looked around, wanting to see everything around him and absorb it into himself and then to release it into a bright burst of life. The answer was clear, energy. _But how? How can you do it?_

There was noise around him but Goku couldn't pay attention and his focus was drawn to Frieza, then Zarbon and then Lantern. What was this feeling? Goku had to think for a moment. He was unable to pay attention, he was preoccupied?

He guessed incorrectly when there was no feeling of relief and so he tried again. _Am I distracted?_ _We need a distraction._

When Yarrow looked at him quickly, Goku knew he had guessed correctly again. So they needed a distraction. But how? Would pollution even work? What would that do to the Aureolinium?

The feeling of weakness assaulted him. It felt like he was so brittle and Goku felt so vulnerable like he would break at the slightest touch.

_It loses its effectiveness? If the core is polluted with too much energy, it loses its effectiveness?_

Joy coursed through him this time and he almost sighed happily before Goku remembered where he was. He didn't know how it would be done but Yarrow knew. All they needed was a distraction. Long enough for their leader to do whatever needed to be done.

_I can do it._ Goku answered suddenly, almost jerking in place. Several thoughts flashed through his head at once, the multi form technique, power and speed. Afterimages. It would hopefully buy enough time. _I'm not a tactician,_ Goku said again. _But I think I can make a plan. I don't know if it will work._

Hope again, a plea.

_I'll try._ He had answered back and their conversation was over. Just in time for Frieza to pass him without even a sideways glance. The others hadn't noticed either and just to make sure, Goku glanced at Yarrow again. For some reason, he needed to know that the conversation had actually happened and he hadn't simply _imagined_ it out of desperation.

When Yarrow locked onto his eyes and the corner of his lips quirked up in a strange smile, Goku knew that he was their only hope.

Sighing, Goku leaned back against the wall of the shower and ran his hands through his wet hair. He had an idea but he was no Vegeta. He wasn't smart like Piccolo or his son and this plan had a high chance of failure.

Almost slamming his head into the metal of the walls, Goku's mouth twisted into a silent snarl. He'd had enough! He had _enough_ of being powerless. If there was even the _slightest_ chance that the plan would work, he would have to try it.

He had to.


	16. The Plan Unfolds, Rising Risks!

Hi Everyone! I want to throw out a super thanks to everyone who's been with me so far and I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story!

Anyways, on to Chapter 16! The Plan Unfolds!

* * *

><p>He had two days to get this plan rolling and Goku had things to do. It was a shoddy plan and at best, he would be found out and everything would roll downhill faster than Chichi could get angry at Gohan for skipping studies. If only Piccolo or Vegeta were here, they would know what to do and Goku didn't have to feel like everything was so impossibly hard!<p>

Resisting the urge to bang his head against the walls of the ship and alert everyone around him, Goku instead slid down to sit against the floor next to his bunk. What he needed was to think this out and that was a task made ridiculously difficult by the fact that he had _no_ idea what the Cerisians intended to do. They needed a distraction but what kind? What were they planning? It was all a mess and in addition to that, Goku was no tactician.

Battle came easily to him. It was instinctive, like breathing and planning during the flow of combat was effortless. There were many instances during a fight when Goku would meticulously plan out his movements to collide with the opponent's torso at just the right moment or calculate how far he needed to move in order to ensure that he was out of their grasp and in a correct position to initiate his own attack. Those were split second decisions and they were combined with his Saiyan battle instinct to make every move precise and as effective as possible.

But this, this was…unusual. Outside of combat, Goku usually went with the flow. This past half a year on Frieza's ship had already forced Goku to plan more than he had in his entire _life._ And now, he needed to do it again.

He would though, for the sake of the Cerisians. He didn't want to acknowledge the small ringing in the back of his head that said he was doing it in part to help redeem himself. Perhaps so much time among Frieza's soldiers had changed him, from forcing him to plan to plot out the fastest way to kill innocents without causing them pain. In the end though, he really was dirty and sometimes when he caught his own reflection, Goku couldn't recognize himself. Maybe it was time to stop trying to find the familiar bed hair and innocently wide smile in his reflection anymore.

Maybe it was time Goku started realizing he wasn't the same Saiyan anymore? Those thoughts were pushed aside in favor of remembering his mission. He had less than two days at this point to perfect his plan as much as possible. The longer it dragged out, the less chance the Cerisians had of pulling out of the situation.

First thing he needed was a disguise, but how to get it without arousing suspicion? On that matter where _could_ he get a disguise anyways? There was no inch of this ship that wouldn't have security cameras tracking his every move. An option was to remove his ponytail but he would be an idiot to think the others wouldn't know who he was and it was technically not an option anyway because he was still in disguise. The thought made him giggle; he had to get a disguise for a disguise!

But back to the matter at hand. Goku needed to make sure his hair and face were covered. His body didn't really have other distinguishing marks other than his lower back where his tail would be but that wasn't an issue unless he decided to go about it all in the nude.

Where to get a disguise? How to get it without arousing suspicion? An idea popped into his head but it was risky. Really risky. There was no other option that he could think of and so Goku stood up and headed towards the showers, the only place where he knew for certain didn't have cameras. Well, there _were_ cameras but there was a slimmer of hope if he stood in the stalls.

He passed several men in the hallway en route to the showers and it was so difficult to walk by without looking stupidly nervous but thankfully no one really said anything. It was possible that his reputation as an all around idiot on Frieza's flagship made it here as well. In any case, he walked to the showers in a pace he thought wasn't too slow or fast to be suspicious.

When Reizo had said that Frieza's ships all looked the same, he wasn't kidding. The showers looked almost exactly like the one back on the flagship, albeit significantly smaller. There were soldiers here already, some at the lockers and others still showering. Thankfully, there was no one whom he recognized and no familiar Ki signatures approaching the showers. Passing by several of the showering aliens, Goku approached the lockers and pulled off his clothing.

Making sure the scouter and communication device were safely hidden underneath the folds of his spandex, he made his way to one of the stalls at the far end of the room. Hopefully if anyone needed to find him, Goku's scouter would tell them he was in the showers and they would leave him be.

"Water." He ordered and almost yelped when cold water hit the top of his head, drenching him quickly. Ignoring the full body shivers cascading along with the water; Goku took one last glance around him to make sure that no one was watching and extended his senses, trying to feel for energy.

He found Dodoria's, still near Yarrow and he shook his head. He didn't need them. A bit further away from them was Solzt who had been placed guard at the top of the staircase that descended to the Aureolinium vault. There was no one else from the ship around him and Goku nearly shook his head. Frieza was just as arrogant as ever, only to place one soldier on guard. He probably believed that nothing would go wrong since he had threatened the Cerisians into complete submission (or so Frieza believed).

Anyways, that was where he needed to go and the riskiness of his situation hit Goku full force once more. He took a previous thought back; he _did_ have to go about part of the mission nude! Placing two fingers against his forehead and focused on Solzt's location.

He flickered under the water, Instant Transmission pulling him into a dimension between dimensions. It was a blur of blues, reds and greens and he moved to where Solzt's energy stood. In a flash, he appeared behind the white-haired alien and before Solzt noticed, Goku's hand cracked through the air and snapped against his neck. Solzt collapsed body limp in Goku's arms and he gently placed the unconscious squad mate against the floor. Hopefully, no one would notice just yet and strangely enough, there were less Cerisian energy signatures here than before. Almost a fraction of the Cerisians he had felt when they first arrived underground. It was impossible that any more had been killed since Goku had been with the group nearly the entire time. However, that wasn't important right now. There was a plan to further!

Moving quickly, Goku rushed outside and grimaced as his bare feet touched the blood stained ground. Those Cerisians he had killed were still on the floor and he had to take a moment collect his wits because he wanted to vomit at the sight.

Cerisians left and right lay dead in heaps, like trash littering the earth and their lifeless limbs were bent in unnatural positions. Several looked like they had been trying to crawl away when they had died and with a grimace, Goku's toes curled in the dirt. He hated himself. This was in part his work, they died at his hands. Yarrow's energy was still tingling at the back of his mind and he remembered why he was here.

Kneeling, Goku pried off a mask from a larger Cerisian as gently as he could and looked at the newly revealed features, brushing away the fringes of black hair from its countenance. His face was brown like the rest of his skin but it seemed softer, like he had never been exposed to the air. Goku couldn't see the color of the Cerisian's eyes since they were closed but they looked large, probably to make it easier to see in the dark of the tunnels they worked in. There was a humanoid nose and a thin line where the mouth was, slackened to reveal two large teeth at the front. So he had guessed correctly, but it was no comfort at all.

Goku continued, taking off its oversized tunic and was glad to see that it wasn't damaged or blasted off. There was a small hole where the heart was and with rising sadness and shame, Goku realized that he had killed that one. It explained the lack of marks anywhere and Goku softly apologized to the dead creature, telling it in low whispers that he would help avenge them. The last of the tunic was off and all that was left was the brown shoes that looked a bit larger than Goku's but he needed them as well. He couldn't risk being recognized at all and the gold tips of his own boots were a dead giveaway.

The Cerisian's almost nude body lay in the blood stained floor, curled up on itself like it had tried to fight off death by will alone. Shriveled and frail, it looked as defenseless and vulnerable as it was when it died and Goku choked back a small sob. He couldn't dawdle though; Solzt would wake up soon, most likely alerting everyone on the ship via scouter and Goku needed to be gone way before then. He needed gloves to cover his hands, they were too different from the Cerisian's wrinkled brown ones and Goku couldn't risk wearing the gloves he had left back in the showers.

He stepped over the dead body he had borrowed the clothes from and looked around the field. One of the other ones wore black cloth coverings over his hands and Goku took them, checking to see if they fit properly. Thankfully, his hands looked completely unrecognizable save for a few small burnt parts that were missing but Goku didn't plan on staying still long enough for anyone to take a good look at his fingers. With a final glance around the place and checking to make sure that Solzt was still out, Goku took a deep breath.

_Yarrow, I don't know if you can hear me from this far away but I'm going to start. _He called out in his head, hoping that the beautiful alien would hear him. It was out of Goku's power to contact him on his own but a small flicker of a foreign emotion went through him and he sighed in relief. He couldn't be sure that was Yarrow but he had to trust the blond leader.

Now it was time for the next step and Goku concentrated half of his energy into a distinct glowing ball. He could see it clearly in his head, an energy signature that was the same but separated from him. That ball formed a torso, legs, arms and a head. The vague humanoid shape grew details and Goku saw his face form on it and the spiky hairstyle of his Earth days. When it was done, another Goku stood beside him.

The multiform technique, a move that Goku had never really utilized in battle before since it required him to halve or cut his energy in several parts. Right now though, half of his energy was _more_ than enough to deal which everyone on Frieza's ship, including the tyrant himself. He wouldn't really need to use more than a tenth of his energy on the half that would be executing the plan. It was a strange feeling, to have his control separated in a manner he wasn't used to. But it wasn't too difficult and his Multi form self raised a hand and jumped into the air like he was thinking through it.

It felt like his inner self was divided into two, he could see and feel what his…other self was doing but it was somehow different. He couldn't really describe it, couldn't wrap his head around how he could control two separate bodies with the same mind that was somehow also divided. It was too much of a headache to try and figure that out.

Time was also ticking and without another thought, Goku donned on the clothing he had taken from the Cerisian. The tunic was large enough that it covered nearly everything down to his ankles which was a feat since Goku was taller than most Cerisians by several miles. The dark shoes looked larger than Goku's feet but they were actually a tight fit. However, they covered what the tunic couldn't at his ankles and more. The sleeves of the tunic stopped halfway down his forearm but the black gloves covered most of that as well, leaving only a small sliver between the purple fabric and black gloves that could be seen.

All that was left was the mask. Goku rolled the headwear in his hands, examining how to put it on. Apparently, it was just pulled over the head and it would somehow fit. He tried it on and grimaced when his hair snagged onto a little clasp. Pulling it off again, Goku pressed it and was surprised when it opened. Now it looked a little larger, enough for his head _and_ his hair so Goku put it on again, glad that this time his hair wasn't pulled painfully. The pony-tail he still wore kept most of his hair bundled at the back of his head and it pressed a little too hard against his scalp but he could ignore that. Whatever bits that stuck out from under the mask didn't matter since the Cerisians had dark hair anyways.

The inside of the mask felt strange, soft and heavy at the same time. There was the strong scent of the Cerisian that had lived in this mask and it almost overwhelmed Goku with its strength. It smelled like dirt and…the stale stench of death and fear, making Goku shudder in revulsion. The eye pieces were made of Aureolinium and the outside world looked a mix of golden amber and purple. It was still clear enough that he could see but Goku took off the mask and moved aside his bangs. When he placed the mask on again, he could see perfectly and he raised his hands, looking at his gloved palms.

His other self still stood there and it was the _strangest_ sensation to be able to know what he looked like without having a mirror around. Goku understood that he was technically looking at himself but it was still confusing to have two different levels of awareness at the same time. He shook his head and took himself in, looking over his tunic covered body and masked head. For all purposes, he looked like a larger than usual Cerisian. Now that he looked at…himself (?), Goku wasn't recognizable at all and if he moved at high speeds, no one would be able to tell that was him. Nodding to himself, Goku sighed and tried to relax.

This was such a bad idea.

But it had to be done, he had to _try_ and so he looked at his multi form and tilted his head towards his own face. His duplicate pressed two fingers against forehead and he flickered away, going back to the showers where he left. Now it was even weirder, seeing the insides of the showers while at the same time, being outside. But it was at the back of his head, like he could control it and see it in detail if he wanted to but otherwise it was left at the side, sort of like background music he could choose to listen to.

For the moment though he just changed channels, so to speak, and Goku saw his own hands making sure to brush away any remnants of dirt and blood that were on his knees and feet. Vaguely, he thought that his friends would have been really proud of him for being able to come up with such a plan and making sure not to leave any evidence behind. It was a thought short lived because Solzt's Ki was spiking and Goku realized his white-haired comrade was about to wake up and he too placed his fingers on his forehead, flickering away to the surface of the planet.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you were knocked out?" Dodoria yelled at the humanoid – Solzt- eyes bloodshot and fists trembling in rage against his body. He was furious, exasperated and dumbfounded all at once as he stared at the white haired alien.<p>

Solzt was standing straight, reminding Dodoria of a stronger Vegeta but unlike the Saiyan there was a slight tremble to his legs and he stared back at Dodoria with fearful eyes. Opening his thin lips, Solzt repeated what he had told Dodoria only moments earlier over the scouter, "Someone knocked me out."

Dodoria fumed, trying to comprehend how _anyone_ on this stupid planet would be strong enough to knock out a warrior as powerful as Solzt. "Are you telling me you didn't see this person at all? What were you doing, sleeping?"

With a shake of his pale head, Solzt stepped back from the furious Dodoria and said, "No! I didn't see the fucker at all! One minute I was standing watch and then the next second I was waking up on the floor! I contacted you the second I woke up."

Leaning his bulk back, Dodoria ignored how much heavier the gravity made his already large body feel. Things weren't adding up somehow and he desperately hoped they could get shit solved before Frieza had to come in. The Lord did _not_ like it when his henchmen failed and Dodoria had no desire to be at the end of Frieza's tail when the time came. "What did he do? Why did he just knock you out?" He asked aloud, rubbing his chin. He didn't expect an answer from Solzt, Dodoria was too busy trying to understand what happened.

The intruder had appeared behind Solzt and the last thing he had felt was the sensation of something cracking against his neck. It was strange because neither Dodoria's nor Solzt's scouters picked up an energy signature. Not only that but the person had knocked Solzt to the floor but he hadn't descended to where Dodoria stood watch over Yarrow. When Solzt had contacted him, Dodoria had all but run out to see what was wrong.

Sudden horror dawned upon the pink alien and with wide eyes and gathering sweat; Dodoria realized he had left Yarrow _unguarded._ "Don't do _anything_ until I contact you!" He hissed to the shivering Solzt and headed towards the staircase.

_Of all the stupid, idiotic things to do-!_ Shuffling as fast as he could under the heavy gravity, Dodoria descended down the staircase to the vault. What if that had been the plan all along, to distract him long enough to leave their leader alone? The thought made him move faster and Dodoria's muscled strained under its own weight and he considered tumbling down the staircase since gravity would probably propel him downwards faster. He reconsidered though when he remembered that if Yarrow were interrupted even for a second during his chant, the door would lock for a month.

That was actually the initial reason he had run out for he couldn't risk screaming over the scouter in fear of interrupting the pretty alien and incurring Frieza's wrath. He had been sitting there with the blond creature for several hours into the first day of his chanting and the language had grated on Dodoria's nerves but he had withstood it. Desperately he hoped that his fears would prove unfounded and he huffed, chest heaving with every step he had to take. When he arrived at the vault however, Dodoria's knees almost gave with relief and he had to hold himself up against the wall to keep from collapsing.

The leader was still in the throes of his chanting, golden glow and lines of cryptic glyphs surrounded him in a six foot radius. His eyes were shut tightly and he had placed his hands on the ground, kneeling against the metal in the same position Dodoria had left him in. His mouth still moved in their strange, screechy language and nothing seemed to be different. Nothing in the room looked out of place, the same as Dodoria had left and he sighed in relief.

Taking a deep breath, Dodoria pushed aside the drunken feeling of ease. There was still the problem of the mystery assailant but before he ran to Frieza with the news, he had to analyze it as best he could. The attacker had knocked Solzt out but he hadn't killed him, why? Was it someone from the ship? No, there was no one that the scouter wouldn't pick up and when he pressed the button to search for Captain Paar's squad, all of _their_ scouters were on the ship and moving about. That ruled out anyone there then since it obviously wasn't Zarbon or Frieza.

What was the aggressor's intent then? Damn it, it was so hard to think with that bastard speaking words that sounded like Dodoria's nails when he scraped them against metal. It was difficult to collect thoughts and put them together in comprehensive sentences when Dodoria could barely hear himself _think!_ It was also searing hot, the blisteringly warm air made worse by Yarrow's constant chanting and sweat dripped off Dodoria like a waterfall. Each drop against his skin felt heavy and he hated how useless he felt in such gravity.

Should he go and speak to Solzt?

But…he couldn't leave this room, not again. It would mean the death of him and he already brushed against _that_ particular instance earlier. Nothing was adding up though; they had a mystery man – a Cerisian- who had attacked but not killed even though he had the opportunity.

Secondly, their attacker didn't come down to the room since Dodoria had been down there the entire time Solzt had been knocked out. It wasn't anyone on the ship and their scouter had picked up no signals. It was as if Solzt had been rendered unconscious by something that didn't exist. Flicking his eyes towards the chanting Cerisian, Dodoria wondered if the leader had planned it somehow.

But that was also off the table because apparently unlocking the vault required all of his concentration and _more._ There was no way he had been able to come up with anything without mucking up his chant. Dodoria wondered what to do, should he tell Frieza or just be quiet about it until something happened? After all, their attacker had attacked but hadn't done anything.

There was no evidence either but Dodoria couldn't risk not saying anything. Just as he brushed the fleshy pads of his sweaty fingers against the scouter, Frieza's voice suddenly blasted against his ear, angry and hissing with barely constrained rage, "Dodoria! Dodoria, are you there?"

Dodoria jammed his finger against the button and moved to the far side of the room, as far away from Yarrow as he could and whispered, "Yes Frieza! I'm here."

There was a loud bang against his ear and Dodoria winced from the noise, static flooding the channel for a moment before Frieza's voice came again, "Update! Is Yarrow still opening the vault?" There was another loud blasting noise and Dodoria could hear men shouting in the background.

"He is." He answered, speaking as low as possible so he wouldn't accidentally disturb the chanting. Fighting to keep his voice under complete control so as not to betray his own nervousness, Dodoria spoke, "What's happening out there?"

"Someone's blasted several of the Landing Struts on my ship!" Frieza responded, voice pitched high in vexation and barely contained rage. "If anything occurs down there you will notify me at once!" The order was all but shouted in Dodoria's ear over the intense cacophony of blasts and shredding metal.

After a second though before Dodoria even managed to indicate he heard Frieza's order, the Icejin shut off the connection and left him alone with the chanting Cerisian again. Dodoria sighed in relief; his ass was out of the fire for the moment. Obviously Solzt wouldn't say anything to Frieza from fear of retribution and Dodoria planned to keep his mouth shut about it as well. There was no way of knowing if the guy up there was the same person who had attacked Solzt earlier anyways.

Speaking in whispers, Dodoria contacted Solzt, "The attacker is being dealt with atop the surface. Keep your mouth shut, am I clear?"

"Yes sir." Came the strained reply and Dodoria nodded, satisfied at the twinge of fear in the words.

Leaning back against the wall, Dodoria sighed and wiped his forehead. He had his orders.

* * *

><p>Goku pointed another hand at the legs of the ship that were digging into the Planet's soft, purple surface. With another concentrated blast, he shot another one of the metal protrusions and sent shards of metal and wiring all over the place.<p>

The Aureolinium around his eyes limited his range of vision but it wasn't important since he was moving easily and quickly through the gravity. He was in the air, tunic flapping around him and Goku sped from place to place, sending energy balls at the floor and around the ship. After all, he didn't want to damage it enough to stop it from flying but he needed to make as much of a distraction as possible.

Frieza's men were on the ground beneath him and even through the mask Goku could hear those shouting orders and trying to pinpoint his location via scouter. It was nearly impossible for most of the soldiers though and the second they stepped off the ship, they struggled against the gravity. It was a losing battle for most of them though and many of the Soldiers fell face first into the floor, an orchestra of curses and groans floating up to Goku's ears.

Aiming carefully, Goku made sure that none of his blasts would hit or injure any of the men working on Frieza's ship. The job was to divert their attention, not kill them. He could see the inside of the hallway of Frieza's ship as his multi form ran through it alongside his squad.

Zarbon with was with them, along with Frieza and Goku felt a small thrill of triumph when he realized his plan was working. He kept moving quickly because the less time anyone had to look at him the better his chances were of getting away with the whole thing anyways.

His duplicate and the squad were already reaching the entrance of the door and Goku tore away his focus from the multi form to see them all exiting the ship in a small cluster. Frieza descended first, tail whipping a frenzy of dust and dirt behind him. His red eyes were beads of anger and his small black lips were turned in a vicious snarl that made Goku shiver just a bit.

Next were Zarbon and Captain Paar, followed by the rest of the squad as they stumbled onto the surface, looking around with their hands on their scouters as they tried to pinpoint his location.

_That's right,_ Goku thought. The gravity here was more than they were used to and he was sorely glad he didn't even feel it. All that training under heavy gravity had definitely helped him out in more ways than one and it was showing!

His multi form was with them, looking similarly confused and straining to find him. The form's energy was low though, suppressed just as he wanted and that left Goku with the rest of the plan. Several of the legs on the ship were already blown to bits and the rest of Frieza's men were all but useless, lying on the ground and trying desperately to pick their suddenly heavy bodies up.

The only men that were really a threat right now were his squad, Frieza and Zarbon. Swooping down, Goku increased his energy output from nearly undetectable to a bit more powerful than Zarbon's.

"There he is! It's a Cerisian!" Zarbon's delicate voice sounded through the battlefield and everyone's eyes focused on Goku.

It was _still_ strange to see himself in the air and on the ground at the same time. However, Goku ignored the sensation and focused on the best way to get them _all_ to chase after him. They were already at a disadvantage since they were unused to the gravity and wouldn't be able to chase after him at full speed. All Goku really needed to do was keep himself in their sights and keep them chasing him to a suitable distance.

Long enough for Yarrow to flood the core with energy.

Flying down quickly, as fast as he could, given the limit on his energy output, Goku landed right in front of Frieza. The Icejin's eyes widened almost imperceptible and his tail all but slammed onto the floor behind him.

Zarbon and the others stepped back in shock, eyes wide and mouths slack at his sudden appearance. Their hands were still at their scouters, the devices beeping and Goku could see numbers still flickering on their screens in an attempt to read his power level.

Damn it, he had landed here but now what? Why had he even done that? Now what was he supposed to do? In a split second of decision making, Goku leaned forward and met Frieza's wide eyes with his own Aureolinium covered ones. The back of his mind was screaming at him, telling him that what he was about to do was a _bad, __**bad **_idea but Goku pushed it away.

With a smile the Icejin couldn't see through the mask, Goku deliberately brought his gloved hand forward and pinched one pink, lightly striped cheek, jiggling it lightly like Bunni used to do to him when he was a child before pulling away and blasting off into the sky as fast as he could allow himself. He didn't look back because was could _feel_ Frieza's energy skyrocketing into the air and Goku allowed himself a small nervous giggle.

That energy was horrible and felt his body begin to sweat heavily under the tunic. He was _very_ glad he wasn't there right now…well he was but that wasn't what he meant. With any luck, the others would soon follow his trail and he made sure to keep his power level high enough for the scouters to detect.

* * *

><p>Frieza felt blood running down his palms and calmly, very calmly, he turned his head to Zarbon. Lips turned down and teeth grit to the point of cracking, Frieza breathed deeply. "Zarbon," he started, aware of the terrified look on his lieutenant's and men's faces,<p>

"I want you to find him and bring him to me, _alive._ Kill anyone else you find." When Zarbon and the others stood there quivering in their boots, Frieza finally lost his patience,"_**NOW!"**_

The snarl of pure fury shocked the sense into them and the men stiffened, bodies trembling under Frieza's blazing glare.

"Yes sir!" Zarbon said and blasted off into the air, the others following closely at his tail.

They were so pathetically slow in the air and Frieza felt his ire begin to spiral almost uncontrollably outwards at the sight of them flailing under the gravity. Energy erupted from his body and cracked the ground beneath him. Looking at the useless soldiers laying on the ground, Frieza pointed one calm finger at the closest one and gathered energy into the tip.

He would entertain himself until Zarbon returned but when he did, Frieza would _personally_ put that Cerisian through torture that would make hell pale in comparison and when he was done, there wouldn't be anything left to put together.


	17. The Glow of Sacrifice

Hi Everyone, I just realized that I somehow hadn't uploaded the ENTIRE chapter 17. It left off as this wierd bit so I'm reuploading it with the correct fixes.

And a thank you to everyone who's stuck with me!

Chapter 17~

* * *

><p>"Where is he?" Zarbon's cape billowed frantically behind him as he searched with his scouter. The damned Cerisians were not supposed to be able to fly! His scouter beeped and the little device tracked the Cerisian's movement through the monochromatic landscape. "There!" A delicate finger pointed towards several towering mountains in the distance.<p>

Turning his head, Zarbon yelled "He's that way! Can't you move any faster?" Frieza was going to have their heads on a platter for dinner at this rate!

"It's the gravity Zarbon," Paar yelled but his voice was strained, his body was heavy in the air and he turned his head to look at his squad. They fared no better than him and for a moment, Reizo floundered in the air and almost plummeted to the floor before he managed to catch himself.

Paar sighed in relief though the strain of inhaling hurt his chest, "He's heading towards the mountains."

"Noted!" Zarbon yelled back, his voice straining under the combined tension of the gravity and the brevity of Frieza's threat. He faced back towards the approaching mountains, their pointed peaks like two massive pillars to a gate. That's where the Cerisian was heading, just out of their range. Stopping mid air, he waited a second for Captain Paar and the other three to catch up.

"Listen," Zarbon started, "We'll split up and circle around to cut him off. Captain, you will take your squad and head in that direction. Kill anything in your way except the one we're chasing now go!" Once he was done, Zarbon didn't waste a single second and took off in the opposite direction Oroitz headed.

He flew across the landscape, close enough that he could smell the mountain dirt under him. The tops of the violet trees almost brushed against his armor he was flying so low but there was no other way. The damn bastard was fast and he didn't feel the gravity. Tactically speaking, Zarbon was at a disadvantage and if he wanted any chance of catching the Cerisian, he would need to ambush him.

He rounded the mountain, eyes flicking back and forth across the moving terrain. Rocks there, large enough to hide behind. Leafy trees, thick branches that can hold his weight in the other direction but once he cleared the forest below him, the land flattened into grassland and there was nothing to help him there. Zarbon was running out of breath too but he was faster than Paar's group and that energy signature was closer to him than them. With any luck he'd be able to catch the bastard and drag him to Frieza in an unconscious heap.

His scouter started beeping and Zarbon tore his attention away from the land for a moment. What? His scouter was starting to pick up more energy signatures, closer, almost as if they were…below him? Golden eyes noticed it too late and purple garbed figures erupted from the floor.

They were numerous! Dozens of them barely stood out against the light colored grass of the land below him, their silhouettes hardly visible to his eyes. Damn those pests! They led him straight into an ambush! Zarbon's hand was already flying towards his scouter to warn Captain Paar but there was the sudden sensation of pain combined with the feeling of freefalling. Zarbon clenched his eyes, choking on the agony as the warmth spread through his abdomen and trailed up his spine like wildfire, rendering his limbs stupidly sluggish and unresponsive.

His hand dropped back down and dimly, Zarbon tried to struggle against his own weight and the gravity. The sky and the land blurred as he plummeted to the ground faster than a rock and in his mind's eye Zarbon saw himself landing against the purple grass as a dark teal stain and he struggled harder. His efforts paid off when he flailed through the air, his breath coming out in short gasps as he raised a trembling hand to touch his stomach.

Jagged edges, this armor had broken under their fire and Zarbon cracked his eyes open to see them take aim again, focusing their shoddy weaponry straight at him. No! He wouldn't be taken down, not without sending them all to hell first!

Raising a hand, Zarbon gathered what energy he had and expelled it in a powerful beam towards the clusters of Cerisians gathered not far beneath him. The force of his own energy made Zarbon cough as he recoiled backwards, blood gathering in his mouth. The result was less than admirable but it did the trick and several dozen bodies catapulted through the air and fell like rain. Zarbon grinned to himself despite the pain, enjoying the way their bones sounded when they cracked against the ground from the force of their falls.

The survivors were still aiming but Zarbon was moving already, weaving through the air as best he could despite how cumbersome his body felt. His skin was still pierced in several places and he faltered when they shot again. Most of their shots missed, merely passing him without even singing his cape but a few hit home, one on his leg and another on his shoulder, burning his cape and the stench of burnt hair assaulted Zarbon's nose.

"You…you bastards!" He cried out, his altitude slowly dropping as he sank through the heavy air. It was almost impossible to breathe without agony wracking every bone in his body. His ribs creaked with the force of his own inhalation and his vision was starting to go blurry. Biting his lip, Zarbon realized there was only one course of action left to him.

The third shots were less accurate than the second but their numbers were so many that despite their diminished power and aim, several still grazed Zarbon's abdomen and he barely managed to contain a scream when one hit him squarely in the chest though it didn't break the armor. Concentrating whatever power he had left, Zarbon felt his muscles begin to contract and gather energy.

With a cry, those same muscles expanded and he suddenly felt everything around him much more keenly. His sense of smell and eyesight were greatly enhanced but the weight of his body nearly tripled and this time, Zarbon really _did_ plummet through the air, barely managing to catch himself on his hands and knees. He hated his transformed state but the trade off in power would give him the edge in power again. If he was going to die, he was going to drag every single one of them with him even if it took every shred of energy he could dredge up.

The Cerisians were screaming around him and his scouter started beeping frantically as they closed in on him. With a roar of rage, Zarbon pulled himself to his knees and spread his arms around him as he expelled whatever energy he could in a large blast around him. It was far weaker than he would have liked, his body straining under the weight and force of the energy and gravity but the Cerisians fell in droves around him. They collapsed like flies against his blasts and Zarbon clenched his eyes and grit his teeth, sinking against the ground in a broken heap.

No longer able to hold onto his transformed state, Zarbon gasped and let his body shrink. Immediately, the immense gravity's pressure eased and he could at least take a few staggering breaths. Blurrily, he looked around him as best he could from his position on the floor. There were Cerisians everywhere and his scouter was finally quiet; he guessed that his last bursts of energy had finally done away with all of them. There was a buzzing in his ears and Zarbon guessed that it was over, that he was going to finally die.

Strange that death sounded like laughter.

Wait, no, that wasn't his head! Zarbon's eyes cracked open again and his muddled mind realized that it _was_ laughter. But who-

The Cerisians.

They were laughing, their muffled voices assaulting his ears from every direction. Zarbon tried to look but his head wouldn't move and his body wouldn't respond, every attempt at motion sent excruciating pain through every limb until his vision was blacking in and out from it. But the laughter carried on from every angle until it rang through his head along with the pain.

Why were they still alive? How could they have survived his blasts? What was that glow? Was it finally death?

_Great,_ Zarbon thought and breathed through the small gap between his lips when his nose clogged with blood, _I'm going to die and I'm going to be laughed at all the way to hell. _A few moments passed but even through his closed eyes, Zarbon could see the glow. Opening his eyes as far as he could, Zarbon tried to focus with all his strength and finally his vision cleared slightly.

The Cerisians were glowing and their faces were turned to him, expressions unreadable from the masks they wore. His mind was getting more and more muddled but Zarbon struggled to think, what was happening? Then, one by one the Cerisians seemed to shrink, their bodies starting to shrivel like grapes left out in the sunlight. The closest one to him kept withering until the clothing on his already tiny body fell against the floor in a heap. What was happening?

One by one the other Cerisians followed, their laughter fading away as they disappeared in a light golden glow. Soon, even that faded and Zarbon was surrounded by a graveyard with no corpses, only the remnants of their clothing serving as a tombstones; the only indication that there were any bodies there at all.

Now there was nothing but silence, the rustling of the wind and the pain keeping Zarbon company.

In the distance, even Zarbon's blurry vision could make out the black clothed figure approaching him, white skeletal feet peeking out from under the robes. It was ironic, to escape death for so long only to have it catch up to him here of all places and Zarbon laughed, the sound a gurgling noise in his clogging throat. He couldn't make out Death's features but it knelt beside him, brushed a bone white hand against his face and almost lovingly tucked a strand of burnt hair behind Zarbon's ear.

Zarbon wanted to say something, but he couldn't speak. His mouth wouldn't move and his body wouldn't respond to any commands he gave it.

On his planet, death was a kind deity. He hoped it would be merciful to him.

There was the sudden sensation of heat cascading through his body like water, soothing away his pains until the agony of earlier was almost a memory.

It was so comforting, a feeling that was somehow familiar and yet so unfamiliar at the same time. It filled his mind with a bright radiance so calming that Zarbon tried to smile in thanks but it was impossible.

Oblivion was overtaking him and Death closed Zarbon's eyes.

* * *

><p>Goku sighed and his shoulders slumped in relief. Zarbon was alive for now but he was unsure of how to move the unconscious alien. His wounds were grave, almost fatal and if he had gotten there a moment later he wouldn't have been able to save him.<p>

"You're lucky that worked." He whispered to Zarbon who lay prone on his stomach, eyes shut and face bloodied. His armor and cape was torn, his vibrant green haired darkened and partially burned off but he was still alive. Transferring his own energy in Zarbon's body was the right decision even though Goku didn't know if it would have an effect at all. However, it had worked on Frieza when the tyrant lay they bisected from his own attack and so Goku had to give it a shot.

Zarbon was alive for a moment and so Goku took a moment to examine his surroundings. Heaps and heaps of clothing lay scattered across the battlefield. There were massive holes in the floor; probably the result of energy blasts but that didn't explain why there were no bodies. Even the masks that the Cerisians wore at all times lay discarded.

It was as if they had simply faded away while they were still dressed and it wasn't even just a few Cerisians. From what Goku could see, it was every single body on the field. They had all simply disappeared and Goku walked over to one of the piles, picking up the purple, stained tunic.

_Is this part of your plan Yarrow? _He ran his white gloved hand over the fabric, wondering just _what_ the Cerisians were planning to do. Goku wished he had asked Yarrow when he had the chance but that was gone. Dropping the tunic back on the floor, he turned his black eyes towards the unconscious figure lying in the dirt.

Zarbon's energy was stable but he would only survive for so long. Goku had simply transferred energy, not healed his wounds and Zarbon had several fatal ones. He was on his stomach but from the pool of blue blood under him, Goku guessed that he had taken several shots to the stomach. Brushing fingers over the back of Zarbon's armor, he could see that the Cerisian's guns had connected with the back of his shoulders and thighs.

_Damn it,_ Goku through, rubbing his head in frustration. What should he do? He couldn't carry the body across the planet. That would aggravate the wounds and likely Zarbon wouldn't survive the long trip there, not to mention to travel at high speeds it would mean that Goku had to increase his energy. The scouters on Frieza's ship would instantly pick him up from halfway across the damn galaxy.

His squad wasn't an issue since he had destroyed their scouters when his multi form encountered them, including Goku's.

Right now no one had scouters other than Frieza and those still back on the ship but there was the alarming realization that he was detecting less energy from that direction than before. In fact, he could only pick up Frieza and a handful of men back on the ship. Something had happened there while he was gone. An ambush maybe? It couldn't be though.

_That would be suicide._ The Cerisians wouldn't last a minute against Frieza when the tyrant was as furious as he had been when Goku blasted off.

There was the issue of his multi form as well and Goku could feel his own energy making its way here. It only took a few moments longer and a robed figure landed in front of him, taller and stronger than any Cerisian. He tore off his own mask and Goku stared at his own face, albeit sweaty from having his face covered the entire time.

Wasting no time, he ripped off the Cerisian disguise and melted into himself again. Awareness that had been split into two reformed again and there was no sensation of seeing and feeling two things at once. Goku sighed; glad to be back in one body. He sighed, tilting his head back and thinking. There was really only one option if he wanted to save Zarbon's life and so kneeling beside the alien, Goku placed one hand on his face.

With his other hand, he placed two fingers against his forehead and located an energy signature near the medical bay of Frieza's ship. In a flash he and Zarbon were gone, leaving only a field of empty clothing behind.

* * *

><p>"Damn it Paar!" Reizo said, running a hand through sweaty hair, "What are we supposed to do without scouters?"<p>

The Captain turned a shrewd blue eye at him and sighed, "We were caught off guard."

"Off guard?" Letifer cried out, small eyes wide in their sunken sockets, "We just got out asses handed to us by a Cerisian. Did you _see_ his power level?"

"35,000." Lantern supplied, floating beside the giant blue alien. "Quite unusual given the regular power levels of their species." He kept his explanation short, tilting his peachy head side to side in an attempt get a bearing on where they were. He came up with nothing though and just shrugged at his captain, "Perhaps Oroitz will find us."

"Why'd you send him off anyway?" Letifer groaned, running a hand over his face in exasperation, "He's an idiot! He's just going to get lost and starve!"

Paar shook his head, face sober and eyes glancing towards his men, "You know why," He explained calmly, "The gravity isn't affecting him."

The others calmed as well, remembering Oroitz's face when the Captain ordered him to go find Zarbon.

"He lost his scouter too though." Reizo noted, breathing deeply from the gravity and ignoring the ache in his muscles from the force he was exerting to stay in the air, "How do you know he's going to get through? Zarbon's probably already dead."

"But Oroitz could get there faster than any of us," Lantern shifted in the air uncomfortably, his stubby tail drooping behind them. "His chances of locating Zarbon are significantly higher than ours."

Reizo stroked his chin, "What about the dude we were chasing? How are we gonna catch him?"

The others exchanged wondering looks, apparently having been thinking the same thing. Finally, Lantern shrugged his thin shoulders, "We don't have our scouters anymore since our escapee made sure to blow them up and that being said, our odds of running into him in this gravity have dropped to almost zero percent." Turning his eyes to Paar, he motioned towards the direction the Cerisian had taken off to, "Captain I do not think chasing him will prove fruitful-"

"In any case," Paar interrupted and floated towards them, "the only way to make sure Oroitz can find us again is to stay in the same spot. I suggest we land to conserve energy." He clapped a hand on Lantern's shoulder and flicked his tongue against his teeth, "We'll deal with the Cerisian when Oroitz gets back."

There was a silent look shared between all of them. _**IF **__Oroitz gets back,_ reverberated through all their heads but no one spoke the thought aloud.

Floating to the ground below them, the agreed with the Captain's orders and Lantern's advice. It was true; they had no chance of getting back to the ship if they just wandered around. They were already low on energy, especially Reizo and he landed against the ground with a heavy thud, falling to his hands and knees.

"I don't know how ya' guys are doing it." He panted and lay on his back, taking in the purple atmosphere and clouds. "Geez, ya'd think there would be _some_ other color on this miserable planet."

Letifer sat beside him and pushed his long tail to the side, stretching to ease the ache in his body. With a snort, he looked at Reizo, "There you are barely able to hold yourself up and you're bitching at the _color?_" With a laugh that ended in a exhalation when Reizo punched his side, Letifer continued, "Talk about misplaced priorities."

There were footsteps and the two turned to see Lantern approaching them with Paar beside him. The talkative alien sat down as well, spreading his legs in the grass and breathing deeply. After a moment, he turned his snout to Reizo with a grin that was unusual on his usually serious face. Opening his mouth, he spoke only two words, "Frieza's face."

He didn't have to wait long for Letifer and Reizo to roll on the floor with unrestrained howls of laughter at the memory.

"Oh god-"Letifer groaned against the floor, holding his stomach and chortling into the purple blades of grass, "The _balls_ on that Cerisian!"

Lantern laughed with them, falling back on his elbows with the grin still plastered over his face, "Indeed." He let out a small laugh, "It is a wonder that Cerisian is able to fly about without the weight of his testicles dragging him down."

That just made Reizo and Letifer laugh harder until they were interrupted by their captain.

"Quiet," Paar said voice stern and commanding. He looked off into the distance, "We are still at a disadvantage should we get ambushed. Save your energy." He _looked_ serious and intimidating but there was the telltale twitch of a barely controlled smile pulling at his mouth and he was avoiding looking at them.

Letifer, Reizo and Lantern shot Paar a look before glancing among themselves and after only a few moments of silence, they collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Sorry Captain," Reizo said and sat up, brushing grass and dirt out of his hair, "But I _never_ thought I'd see something like that happen!"

To their surprise, Paar nodded but didn't say anything.

Lantern groaned, "I do not know about the rest of you but I was, how Solzt would put it…?" He pondered for a moment then continued, "Scared shitless. Yes, that is exactly how I felt. I thought our ends were nigh upon us."

Suddenly, it was as if a wave of sobriety descended upon all of them at once and the giggling died down. The whisper of the wind across their shoulders was the only sound for a few moments before Letifer spoke,

"Oroitz…"

Paar nodded, "I'm going to have another discussion with him. This is getting out of hand."

Reizo propped himself up on a hand and turned his head towards the direction Oroitz had flown off in, not a single drop of sweat or a twitching muscle. "Who is he?"

Letifer shrugged and his tail flicked a bit behind him, thumping against the ground, "Don't know."

"I have a feeling that he will be able to find us without his scouter." Lantern added, "Just before ours were destroyed and Zarbon's energy signature disappeared, I believe he had already noticed."

"And," Paar continued from Lantern's explanation, eyes narrowing to irate slits, "When I sent him after Zarbon, he instantly took off…"

"Like he knew where Zarbon was." Letifer finished and silence reigned again for a few minutes.

"Telepathy?" Reizo offered, plucking grass out of the ground and twirling the blades around between his fingers and then throwing them away to pull out more. When he got no response, Reizo flicked golden eyes to look at his squad mates who seemed to be deep in thought.

Oroitz was a strange, strange man indeed. He had that air of mystery around him but it seemed unusual, like he wasn't used to having secrets and to be honest, it intrigued Reizo. More than intrigued him actually. Reizo wanted to find out more about Oroitz and not just who he really was…

"And the Cerisian…" Lantern suddenly said and interrupted Reizo's train of thought (thankfully before it went anywhere dangerous) eyes staring into a distant point in the sky, "It could have easily disposed of us, yet it chose not to. It's only aim was our scouters before it flew away faster than we could pursue."

Paar nodded, standing up and cracking his neck. "Distraction tactic. He needed us to get away from the ship and he succeeded."

"But Frieza's there." Letifer said, "And he's stronger than all of us so his 'distraction' ploy didn't do jack shit."

He had a point there. If Frieza wasn't gone, the Cerisian's plan was useless unless he had a backup.

"Hey everyone!"

Everyone's head snapped up towards the air and they could see a muscled figure descending towards them with a wave. Finally, Oroitz landed on the floor beside them with a thud that sounded more like it was forced than actually natural. His face was sweaty but he wore his customary smile and to their surprise, he wore a green scouter over his eye.

Paar's eyes traveled over Oroitz's chest, noting the bluish blood on his hands. "You have a scouter." He said, pointing his chin at the device nestled snugly on his ear.

With a grin, Oroitz took it off and handed it to Paar who accepted it with a nod, placing it over his own eye. "Yeah," The pony-tailed man said, "I got it off of Zarbon. He was injured but he still had his scouter so I took him back to the ship and got here as fast as I could."

He looked around, confused, "No luck with the Cerisian?"

The others shook their heads and Paar spoke, "No scouters." He looked over Oroitz with a disapproving frown and folded his arms across his chest, "Where did you find Zarbon?"

Pointing a gloved finger towards some point in the distance, Oroitz recounted the tale of how he'd arrived at Zarbon's location only to find a battlefield filled with countless heaps of clothing. "Then I made it here with Zarbon's scouter." He finished the story with a grim look, "At least I got to the ship in time to save him."

"Ambushes huh?" Letifer said, coming to stand beside Paar, "We should be careful."

The Captain just nodded, still staring at Oroitz in a way that made him cower just a little bit under his intense glare. After a moment though, Paar jumped into the air without another word but the look on his face left no illusions to the fact that he was sorely irritated with Oroitz.

The pony-tailed threw a questioning look at Reizo who set his lips in a thin line. Letifer and Lantern were as unforgiving, their features twisted into accusatory looks. Oroitz's shoulders slumped and it looked like he was beginning to understand that he was in deep, deep trouble.

Just before he took off, Reizo turned his eyes away from Oroitz. The man was intriguing and the attraction Reizo felt towards Oroitz was wholehearted but it was obvious that his handsome friend didn't care about them at all. This was just one more instance where trouble could have been avoided had he been forthcoming about his abilities.

Lantern and Letifer jumped behind him and Oroitz remained on the floor for a split second longer before he took to the air with them. Reizo glanced back from the corner of his eye; there was twinge of sadness and guilt but he pushed it away and replaced it with irritation. Feelings were a weakness that he couldn't afford right now and it kept reminding Reizo of the one outcome that he had experienced too many times to count.

Disappointment.

* * *

><p>"So not only did you let the Cerisian escape," Frieza began with narrowed eyes, mouth downturned in a sharp scowl, "But your incompetence resulted in the loss of rather expensive equipment." The tyrant's back was turned to the group where Paar knelt along with the others.<p>

"I will deal with Zarbon's failure in time, but," Frieza turned his head just the slightest as if he were pondering how to deal with them, "What shall I do with you, Captain?"

Paar didn't reply and Goku dug his knuckles into the metal floor, feeling the painful sting of teeth as he sunk them into the inside of his cheek. Now he knew why Paar and the others had stared at him so disapprovingly, with dismay written all across their faces.

Frieza continued, uncaring of their fear and unaware Goku's rising urge to say something, "Less than two days on this squalid planet and already I am beset on all sides by inept soldiers and obstacles." His fists clenched behind his back and his long, pink tail smacked sharply into the metal floor. When he lifted it there was a visible dent, "Perhaps I should mete to you the punishment that I had intended for your absent captive?"

Goku bit the inside of cheek harder and the taste of blood flooded his senses. In less than a second, everyone's energy spiked to alarming levels of unease and Goku allocated his weight to his arm, almost swaying from the sudden nausea of the feeling.

Paar opened his mouth, head snapping up in dread but Frieza waved a hand to interrupt him, "Spare me your ineffectual excuses. I do not tolerate failure. I-"

Frieza was interrupted as the ship shook around them. Looking around, Frieza braced himself against the wall and his mouth opened in a vicious snarl, "What is happening?"

A man fell against the door, grasping the metal rims and balancing himself before he met Frieza's furious gaze with terrified eyes, "Lord Frieza! There are Cerisians attacking the ship!"

Frieza turned his chilly gaze to Paar, his voice curdling the blood in Goku's body, "If these vermin are not dealt with in record time, the only thing that will ameliorate my wrath will be your hides."

Paar wasted no time misunderstanding the command got to his feet, "Outside everyone! Now!" He ran through the metal doors to head towards the entrance of the ship with the others on his heels.

Goku followed them, glad to be out of Frieza's presence but he would have preferred it given the alternative he was about to face. Trepidation was starting course through him, a feeling he was well acquainted with at this point and once again Goku wrestled with himself. It was conflict that happened before every mission, before every battle and before every shot he fired from his fingers.

It was the one conflict he desperately wished logic would lose but even when he burst out into the purple fields of Planet Cerise to face against the innocent creatures that sought only to protect their world, the metal bite of his communicator hardened his resolve in ways thought never could.

Everything happened in slow motion to him, like the way the flying debris and shards of metal passed by his face; so keenly detailed he could count the scratches on each one or the way Letifer's tail trailed almost leisurely behind him. The others were struggling against gravity and their steps were torpid and their movements so ludicrously ineffective that it was a wonder the Cerisians couldn't dodge them.

However their blundering movements rendered their blasts inaccurate. While under regular gravity their movements were sharp and concise, here they struck the Cerisians against non-fatal areas and prolonged their torment. When on another planet most of these Cerisians would be dead, many still struggled on the floor from shoddily thrown blasts or cried out in pain while they bled from a stump or fatal wound that didn't instantly kill them.

Goku couldn't let it go on any longer, he owed it to his squad for dragging them into Frieza's disfavor and he owed it to the Cerisians to make their deaths as quick and painless as possible so he pushed guilt and misery to the side.

His hand was rising of its own volition, moved by a force greater than his will and Goku felt his energy thrumming through his body and focusing at the tip of his outstretched fingers. Several blasts erupted from his digits, spreading across the battlefield to strike the attackers in either their heads or hearts, killing them almost instantly. Several still staggered after being struck, as if their bodies hadn't yet fully accepted their death but soon enough they dropped into crumpled piles of flesh.

It didn't matter if he had to power to levels higher than he was supposed to but he had to make sure his team mates didn't cause the Cerisians to suffer, so he pushed Paar aside without another thought and apologizing for every kill that he made, Goku soon cleared the field.

There was silence now, only the sound of fluttering clothing compounding with the whoosh of the air and the clouds of dust blowing across Goku's body. He turned back to the entrance of the ship, meeting the stunned gazes of his comrades as they stared at him.

Opening his mouth, Goku didn't know what he was going to say, how to explain but he didn't need to because there was the sensation of energy sizzling across his spine and his comrade's gazes fell behind him, their features illuminated by an unnatural glow.

Turning, Goku watched with incredulity as one by one, the Cerisians began to shrink into themselves and fade away into nothingness, leaving behind nothing but their garments. In only a few minutes, the battlefield looked exactly as the one he had encountered when he saved Zarbon.

He turned a bewildered look towards the Captain, looking for an explanation but their features were twisted into confusion, just as lost as he and desperately, Goku wished he knew what Yarrow had been planning and hoping it hadn't been _this._ Whatever this was.

Scanning the surroundings, he couldn't find a single body or reason for the Cerisians to rise up against them knowing the odds. Goku was supposed to be the distraction; this was supposed to be so that no more Cerisians had to die! He glowered at the clothing beside him on the floor, fists clenching in frustration but just as he was about to say something, Frieza's energy neared and the tyrant appeared at the door, eyes wide and small white hands clenched so hard against the doorway that the metal gave beneath it.

It was apparent Frieza was furious but there was a undertone of thinly masked panic underneath his words, "They are attacking the vault! Quickly you fools, follow me!" Hissing, Frieza passed them and blasted off towards the volcanic structure that was home to the vault faster than they could follow.

With a quick order, Paar took off behind Frieza and the others followed, pushing themselves as much as they could beneath the crushing gravity of the planet but Goku would not fly with them.

He met Paar's eyes with a look of determination and wanted to somehow tell the Captain he would be flying ahead without having to utter the words that would confirm their suspicions. Then Goku realized it wouldn't matter anyway because in a few moments, he would show them and actions spoke far louder than words.

_I'll explain it to you,_ Goku said, hoping he could transmit his thoughts to Paar. _I'll figure something out. _

Pushing his energy to his legs, Goku flew into the air and passed his squad so quickly they didn't have time to even get a good visual of his back when he flew by. They were probably confused, questions hanging on the tips of their tongues but Goku ignored the urge to look back. He needed to catch up to Frieza and flying with his squad meant that he might arrive at the vault too late to understand what was happening.

However, he stayed a few hundred feet away from Frieza. As much as he wanted to know what was happening, the fact that he was still a soldier hung at the back of his mind and it forced Goku to slow down rather than Instant Transmission there only to blow his cover. If that happened then all the people he had murdered would have died in vain and that was something Goku had sworn to himself he wouldn't do.

Deep in his gut he had the feeling that something unfortunate was going to happen and though he tried to ignore it, Goku knew his instincts were probably correct. They usually were but he could hope. He could see the volcano in the distance and it towered just as majestically as before though this time, it looked more ominous than Goku remembered. The sight just seemed to back up the sense of foreboding creeping up his skull.

Frieza had already landed on the platform they had used when they arrived the first day, the tyrant almost running into the shadows of the hallway and disappearing from view. Only a short moment later did Goku's boots touch the metal as well and he steeled himself, standing at the edge of the corridor's darkness.

The light that had illuminated the passage before was gone and to Goku's dismay, he didn't know whether that was good or not. Tightening his resolve, he stepped forward and followed Frieza into the inky blackness.


	18. The Price of Victory

Hi everyone, thank you for staying with me!

Also, after you are done with the chapter, I would greatly appreciate it if my readers could take a look at a question I've asked post-chapter! Thank you!

Goku's time on Planet Cerise is coming to a close! What has Yarrow been planning and why is Goku so out of the loop? Find out in Chapter 18 of: Dream of Yesterday!

* * *

><p>Stepping into the corridor thrust Goku into darkness so impenetrable that he almost tripped not even ten steps in. The walls were no longer being illuminated from within and the only real source of light was the doorway from which he and Frieza entered but even that diminished with every step forward Goku took.<p>

Bracing his hands against the wall, he pushed a bit of energy to his hands and gathered it together. It was a small ball of energy but it worked nonetheless, acting like a makeshift flashlight to help guide him through.

Thankfully, Goku could now see at least a few meters ahead of himself and with renewed vigor, he followed Frieza's energy signature. He could sense that Frieza was panicked, his Ki spiking all over the place, desperate but unwilling to risk damaging the Aureolinium by simply blasting through the tunnels.

Goku was in a similar situation himself, _If I didn't have to worry about being caught, I would just Instant Transmission there…_ Yarrow's energy was a bright spot in his senses, easy to focus on and easy to move to but there was too much risk and so Goku footed it.

It was a lot warmer than before and the stone and metal floor felt hot through his boots. Even the wall that Goku had braced against was heated.

At least Frieza's memory was amazing because he never stopped; kept moving ahead of him, a clear path Goku could follow. If he were here alone, he would have probably never remembered where to go and gotten lost in the endless tunnels that lay below the surface. Just as that thought crossed Goku's mind, Frieza stopped moving just before him, less than fifty feet ahead.

Moving a bit faster, Goku's makeshift light became almost useless because there was a light so blinding that he had to close his eyes or go blind. Shielding his face with his arm, Goku dropped his flashlight and inched closer, sweating almost uncontrollably the closer he got to the radiant light.

A moment later it dimmed to something more approachable and Goku sighed with relief, he could sense energies but walking with his eyes closed wouldn't have helped him at all. Lowering his arm a little, Goku slit open his eyes to see the doorway that led to the railings above the Aureolinium itself.

Frieza was there as well, eyes wide, teeth grit and leaning over the railing with clenched fists. He was staring down at something and the sight of it made his tail swish behind him, slashing through the air and almost crashing against the other side of the railing. Soon enough though, he muttered something under his breath and continued down to the other side.

Goku followed, taking a moment to squint through the still bright light, curious as to what had Frieza in such a rage. The Aureolinium below them looked no different to Goku, still the same golden, bubbling liquid.

Shrugged, he continued onward, following the Icejin down the same way he went and ignoring the way his armor stuck to his skin. Even the light spandex material of his suit weren't impervious to the heat and the metal below his feet almost burned him through the material of his boots. Wincing, Goku nearly skipped towards the other side of the railings and sighed when his feet met stone.

It was still hot since there, so hot that Goku felt like he was being baked alive but he had no time to worry about that. Frieza was still ahead of him, moving quickly through the dark tunnels and so Goku followed him again.

Sure enough, the tunnels were getting smaller and blisteringly hot. Pushing his shoulders forward, he crouched and exhaled a breath, trying not to touch the walls as much as he could. It was getting difficult to breathe as well, the cramped corridor and the searing heat making it feel like he was in an oven. Shaking his head to clear his muddled thoughts, Goku pushed forward.

Frieza was probably just as uncomfortable as he was, if not more, because his gait had slowed considerably. His energy was heavier as well and it affected Goku, making his steps drag along the floor. They were almost there, Yarrow's bright energy was starting to fluctuate in the close distance and Goku forced himself to walk faster. Frieza was still quite ahead of him and probably wasn't paying attention to who was behind him anyways.

The Aureolinium door that the first group of Cerisians had led them through appeared before Frieza in the distance, close enough that Goku could see. Even in the dark tunnels, it was bright enough to be seen and Frieza didn't waste a moment trying to figure out how to open it. Raising a small hand, he gathered enough energy to break it and the tunnels shook a little.

Dust, pieces of rock and metal fell on Goku's hair and shoulders and he coughed, waving his hand before him. Damn it, now it was blistering hot _and_ dusty. He was barely able to see through the swirls of dirt but at least it was a one way tunnel that led to the light of their city. _I have to hurry, no time to waste!_

Breaking into a run, Goku arrived at the remains of the Aureolinium door and jumped down after Frieza.

Frieza was heading towards the building where the vault was and Goku relaxed his pace a little, looking around him. There were the bodies of those his squad had killed and…more? How could that be? There was no mistaking it though, there were definitely more bodies...or lack thereof. Strangely enough the Cerisians they had murdered when they first arrived still had bodies, but among them lay piles of empty clothing. It was as if there had been another battle here.

_I can't sense any Cerisians!_ Goku realized, panic seizing his heart and making his feet feel like lead. _Where are they? Dodoria and Solzt couldn't have killed them all, no way. There were too many._ Flicking his eyes from Frieza, he noticed that all the bodies…or lack of bodies looked similar to the surface. There were only clothes and masks lying on the floor.

Trying to quell the hysteria that was gripping his chest and freezing his limbs, Goku forced his legs to carry him down after Frieza. What was happening? Why were there so many bodies and just _what_ was Yarrow planning? _I thought we were supposed to save his people, but where are they? I can't sense anyone here except for me, Frieza, Dodoria and…and Solzt._

But the last one's energy was low, like he was barely alive and Goku sped up.

Frieza had just entered the dome-like structure, his tail pushing away the heaps of clothing to clear a path. Goku was close behind, allowing himself to be seen if Frieza turned his head. It didn't matter at this point anyways, not with Yarrow so close and Frieza panicking as hard as he was.

Despite the fear that was coursing through Goku's body, he couldn't help but feel a small thrill of satisfaction at Frieza. The tyrant was obviously unnerved, if not from the way he was running then from the way hi Ki was boiling and swirling around him, like he didn't know what to do. Frieza was confused, feeling defeated and from what Goku remembered, the Icejin never took well to that.

There were bunches of clothing in the building as well, the yellow of the Aureolinium above them shedding golden light to the clothing and broken pots. The flowers that had lined the place beautiful were strewn about, trod on or destroyed in battle and Frieza simply stepped over them.

_Solzt!_ Goku's mind yelled in alarm. In the distance, near the stairs where he had been stationed, Solzt lay on the floor, unmoving. There were clothes around him, he had probably fought against the Cerisians that had attacked the vault and probably injured.

Frieza simply jumped over him, ignoring the fallen soldier, not even sparing a glance his way. A moment later, his horned head disappeared as he descended the stairs and Goku almost swore under his breath. Leave it to Frieza to completely ignore his men. Frieza didn't care; they were disposable commodities to the bastard but Goku pushed aside the welling hatred to focus his attention on Solzt.

The warrior was out cold against the floor, in a pool of his own red blood but he was stable. He had suffered injuries but he was stable, nowhere near as bad as Zarbon had been and Goku breathed a sigh of relief. Rolling Solzt over as gently as he could, Goku looked over the injuries, glad that nothing vital seemed to be in danger. Picking the unconscious alien up, Goku placed him over his shoulders and shifted his weight for balance.

Arriving at the edge of the staircase, Goku sighed, trying to ignore the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach and descended.

* * *

><p>This was ridiculous! This was absolutely insane, <em>preposterous!<em> That he was furious would be the understatement of the millennia. If it weren't for the Aureolinium, Frieza would have already blasted through and throttled whatever Cerisian insect he could find.

The heat was almost unbearable and Frieza hissed when the sensitive skin of his tail managed to touch the heated metal floor and he was thankful that the bottoms of his feet were much tougher. They were less likely to get burnt but that small comfort did nothing to console the tyrant. The sensation of sluggishness infuriated him, more than he already was.

Sweat was dripping down the ridges of his head and down his cheek. He could feel it under his armor too but he ignored it, his focus on something much more important than his discomfort.

He was already descending the staircase towards the vault but the steps were strangely absent of Cerisians or their clothing. So what had Dodoria meant when he had contacted Frieza over the scouters? It was strange too, his scouter didn't pick up anyone either. Just what was happening?

He got his answer when he arrived at the bottom. The first thing Frieza noticed was that the only people in the room were Dodoria and Yarrow, the latter who was still glowing with his chant. Turning a furious gaze on Dodoria, he was slightly mollified when the fat alien cowered under it.

Closing in on him with clenched fists, Frieza hissed under his breath, "What is the meaning of this Dodoria? Explain!"

Dodoria was quick to recover, mouth moving almost instantly and he began to explain, "Solzt contacted me from above-"

_Who?_ Frieza thought, then remembered the fallen body of the white haired alien. Him, ah yes.

"-and he was under attack, Cerisians literally pouring in by the dozen!" Dodoria finished and took a gasping breath, wiping one pudgy hand over his sweating face. "He was about to be overtaken when the Cerisians did…I dunno, _something._"

"Be a little bit more descriptive," Frieza replied in a shrill whisper, "What do you mean, _something?"_

Dodoria shrugged and raised his trembling hands in the air, "I don't know Lord Frieza, and I didn't dare move! But from what he told me, they just…dissolved into nothingness. Just leaving clothing behind."

Leaning back, Frieza frowned and snuffed the urge to wipe away a bead of sweat from his upper lip, "That would explain the mounds of clothing upstairs." Flicking his beady eyes to Yarrow, he asked, "What about our friend?"

"Nothing different." Dodoria answered and Frieza started to relax, tail almost slumping to the floor.

"Nothing different huh?" Yarrow's strained voice suddenly echoed through the room. Frieza and Dodoria's head snapped towards the kneeling leader who was nearly gasping for breath. "You-" He choked out a laugh, "You dumb bastards."

Ire welled up in Frieza's chest and he stalked to the edge of the golden circle Yarrow was surrounded in. Narrowing his eyes as the blond alien turned to look at him, Frieza glowered, "What did you do?"

Yarrow was out of breath, eyes dropping from exhaustion and his robe was drenched in sweat. Frieza curled his lip in disgust at the sight but the alien wasn't affected, a small smirk gracing his tired features. "You'll have your Aureolinium." He gasped; shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Frieza felt his patience begin to slip dangerously. That this pitiable creature dare laugh at him almost brought some amusement but it didn't last long. There were footsteps behind him and Frieza spared a glance, ready to personally torture any Cerisian that walked through the door.

But it was only one of his men, the ridiculous pony-tailed one and he carried the body of his fallen comrade on his shoulder. Frieza looked over the white haired one, hanging limp from the man's shoulder and sneered, turning his attention back to Yarrow. He would punish the others for daring to be late.

"Your people…" He began, fisting his hands behind his back and straightening up. "What did they do?"

Yarrow laughed again, his violet eyes narrowing in almost violent glee and sending another wave of frustration through Frieza. Tilting one head arrogantly to the side, Yarrow grinned, "Let me explain something to you, Lizard."

Frieza twitched at the insult, his nerves frayed thin from the combination of heat, cramped tunnels and blatant disrespect for his mercy. _You insolent wretch,_ he thought and glared at Yarrow, _This is the last time I show mercy to such a worthless race. My last mistake._ "You will explain," He said calmly, "or I will be forced to take out my wrath on your wretched people."

To his immense annoyance, Yarrow simply laughed again, "Don't try that on me…" His face dropped though, hate flaring in his purple eyes and he glared at Frieza, "There _**are**_no more Cerisians. They died every last one of them." Black hands clenched against cloth, "All except for me."

Frieza chuckled, amused despite the alien's impertinence, "Is that your attempt at a strike against me?" His chuckle turned to full blown laughter, glee coursing through him at the sight of Yarrow's rage, "My heart positively shattered as I witnessed those vermin throw themselves against my ship and lose their lives in the process."

Shrugging, Frieza allowed himself a melodramatic sigh and a shake of his head, "But in actuality, I should be thanking you for a job well done. You've saved me quite a bit of resources by killing your own men."

There was a light growl from Yarrow and Frieza laughed again, completely unintimidated by the slender creature. Really, he came all the way down here for this?

"You laugh now, but!" Yarrow's grin came back full force and he leaned over and gestured to the door, "Aren't you wondering why you're here a full day earlier? Or…" His smile widened at the panic spreading across Frieza's face, "Haven't you figured it out yet?"

_No. This cannot be happening!_ Frieza reigned in his expression, previous smile turning downwards in a menacing scowl, "If you think by killing your people you've saved your Aureolinium, I regret to inform that you're _very_ mistaken."

Shifting on his feet, Yarrow stretched his neck in self satisfaction, completely unperturbed by Frieza's threat, "That's not it at all. Locking the door isn't the _only_ way you know, or do you not have any imagination? Is that purple plate on your head pressing down on your miniscule brain?"

Frieza took a deep breath of hot air, hands clenching so hard against his back that he could feel blood welling up in his palms. He fought to keep himself in control, he was _not_ defeated. He could _not_ be defeated.

"I'll explain it to you," Yarrow said smugly, "_Do_ pay attention. I'll be sure to use simpler words for you."

"Get on with it!" Frieza hissed, unable to reign in the angry response. He felt the air around him heat up in response to his anger and Frieza heard Dodoria gasp behind him.

"To begin with, I'm a telepath." Yarrow said, poking a delicate finger against his temple. Eyeing everyone's face, he grinned, "And I have a connection to _every_ Cerisian on this world." His looked downwards quickly, and then raised his eyes back to Frieza.

"It's obvious your men, superior as they are, cannot handle the gravity of this planet." Yarrow's tone was joyful and Frieza bit the inside of his lip in ire.

_That…that __**insect.**_ He thought, narrowing his eyes at Yarrow.

"So I had my people create a distraction, not bad for a worthless race isn't it? Once the most powerful of your men were out of the way, we attacked the ship. We even managed to wound several of them and they're probably already dead."

"It is unfortunate for you," Frieza interjected, "That they are _not._ Your people failed."

Yarrow's eyes widened fractionally, but that infuriating smile didn't fade. "No matter," He raised his shoulders in an indifferent shrug, "That wasn't the intention anyways."

When Frieza remained silent, the leader continued, "Aren't you the _least_ bit curious about the piles of clothing laying about the surface and city?"

"Why should I care if your people commit suicide?" Frieza asked, rolling his eyes. "If you ask me, I believe they have done the Universe a great favor."

Ignoring him, Yarrow continued, "As I said before, there is more than one way to lock away the Aureolinium. In this case, when my people _died_, their energy was transferred to me!" He laughed, his mouth opening to utter an almost maniacal cackle, "The chant that I was doing was **never **the one that would open this door!"

Frieza stepped forward, semblance forgotten in the blind flash of rage that nearly blinded him, "What did you do!" He nearly screamed, but controlled himself from just obliterating the man. Oh no, he would keep this one. Toy with him until he _begged_ for death and even then, Frieza wouldn't grant it to him. Oh it would be _marvelous._

"With every Cerisian's death, I channeled their energy through my chant." Gesturing to the door, Yarrow looked at the shining glyphs and sigils, "In simple terms, _I've polluted the core." _ With a laugh at Frieza's incredulous look Yarrow said, "Your Aureolinium is **useless!** It will take at least several decades for the planet to filter it out and produce pure Aureolinium. Did you honestly think I would give this to someone like you?" The last words were a shout, pupils wide with excitement and triumph.

Rage was starting to seize Frieza's limbs and it took every ounce of control the tyrant had not to just blast off Yarrow's head and laugh as he died. Taking a long moment, Frieza controlled himself. Yarrow may have won, but it was meaningless. With a grin, Frieza spoke, "Ah my friend…" He began and chuckled at Yarrow's confused look.

"You see, _I_ will be around for the next several decades. My people's life spans are long lived, nothing compared to the paltry amount of time you call life." Waiting for Yarrow's inevitable look of defeat, Frieza was a little surprised when none came.

The blond alien's face was just as triumphant as before, like he knew something that Frieza didn't. Immediately, it was apparent that the bastard's plan had more to it and Frieza's smirk dropped, the previous feeling of ire flaring up full force.

Yarrow turned to the door, sighing in what looked like relief. His shoulders slumped and his hands unclenched. Tilting his head, long blond hair cascaded over his back though it had lost its luster. He laughed quietly, "No." He continued, staring at the door. "I didn't need everyone's life _just_ to pollute the core. Less than ten lives were needed to render the Aureolinium useless. I've done more. Why do you think _all_ my people have sacrificed themselves?"

When Frieza didn't answer, Yarrow continued, "You'll never get this Aureolinium Frieza. Not you, not your offspring, not _anyone._"

The unfamiliar sensation of dread started settling in Frieza's stomach. For the first time in a _long_ while, he didn't know how to respond. Yarrow couldn't mean…_no._

_No. This is not good._

"My spell is the _only_ thing holding this core together. I've overloaded it with the lives of over several thousand Cerisians." He turned one sad eye to Frieza, "I don't think you need me to tell you what will happen when I let go do you?"

_This is bad._ Frieza's body was almost paralyzed on the spot. He couldn't survive a blast like that, not from a core that had been overloaded to this extent. He needed _time_ to transform and he had nowhere near enough to get enough power to keep him alive. Even if he did manage to get away, the chances of surviving after were almost zero.

Yarrow continued, unaware of Frieza's rising panic "We're nearly right atop the core, if it goes, _nothing_ will survive. Not even you." He turned back to Frieza and to the tyrant's terror, the black on his hands was flickering away and his violet eyes were starting to glaze over, "Goodbye you bastard. I hope you rot in hell."

* * *

><p>Sadness that wasn't his overwhelmed Goku. There was a brief flash; almost like an apology and it was a strange combination to the fear he was already feeling. Before he knew it, Yarrow had released his hold on the vault and there was almost no time to react.<p>

_Why?_ Was his last thought before Yarrow disappeared, his purple robe falling to the floor in a crumpled heap.

The sudden sound of the starting explosion almost deafened him.

The Aureolinium vault that Yarrow was standing before was starting to disappear in a haze of fire. The air nearly exploded in heat around him and it licked against his skin, nearly burning him. Yarrow disappeared as well, dissolving the same way that his people had; leaving only his purple robe behind and that was soon swallowed up by the fire as well.

Everything slowed down and time moved at a crawl. It was as if everything around him had stopped and Goku forced himself to move. They had less than five seconds to get out before they too were swallowed in the core's explosion.

His feet moved first and Goku propelled himself towards Dodoria. The Pink alien's face was frozen in disbelieving horror and his eyes were impossibly wide, mouth slack and in the midst of screaming in terror. Reaching out one hand, Goku shifted his shoulder to keep Solzt from falling and gripped the front of Dodoria's armor. Wrenching the fat alien forward, Goku turned his head to Frieza.

The Icejin was frozen in time as well, his hands outstretched in front of him as if to ward off the fire. From the way his face was contorted in dread, it was obvious that he realized that he was going to die and Goku almost took a moment to enjoy the fear that was etched across those delicate contours but the heat around him was still blistering against his skin, a reminder that time was short.

The fingers of his other hand were reaching towards the Tyrant, so _close._ They were only inches away from the shoulder strap of Frieza's armor and Goku forced all of his energy to push him forward at blinding speed. Finally, his fingers connect and he gripped the armor.

Frieza's began to turn, an incredulous look combining with the fear that was overtaking his features but Goku ignored it. He was pulling them upwards, trying to find another source of energy. He pinpointed the familiar energy of people on Frieza's ship; specifically the control room and he didn't waste a single second.

_We'll die if I'm late even for half a second!_ With that thought in mind, Goku let himself and his three companions be dragged into the middle dimension of the Instant Transmission. The blur of colors was instant and he moved forward, panic still swirling in his abdomen as he traveled across space and time.

Less than a second later, the reds, blues and greens of the middle dimension disappeared and the steel gray of Frieza's control room took over his vision. Time started to move faster then, slowly at first and then picked up speed until it was moving normally again. The clear details of the Frieza's ship turned into a gray blur and Goku fell towards the railings.

Goku felt his body slam painfully against the metal, the combination of Dodoria's large body, Solzt unconscious one and Frieza's knocking the breath out of him. Choking, he pushed them off, oblivious to the various gasps and wide eyed stares he was getting from the shocked personnel.

Barely managing to force in enough breath to scream, Goku yelled in a strained voice "FLY! NOW! PLANET EXPLODING!"

When the aliens at the panels hesitated for a moment, Goku screamed again, "**GO!**"

This time they didn't linger and panic started to spread across all their faces. Finally, the ship was shifting and they were taking off into the air. Thankfully, the Cerisians had only damaged the landing struts and the engines were still fine. Less than minute later they were safely in space, just in time to watch the purple planet explode in fireworks that could be seen across the universe.

_Solzt!_ Goku remembered and he quickly turned to where he had fallen. Just as he thought, his white haired friend was on the floor, still bleeding and Goku moved to pick him up. _I need to get him to the medical bay!_ Holding the unconscious warrior, Goku stumbled to the door, intending to leave when Frieza's voice suddenly stopped him,

"Where do you think you are going?" Frieza was out of breath, bracing himself against the railing, "I demand an explanat-"

"Please!" Goku pleaded, looking down desperately at Solzt. He wouldn't last much longer at this rate! Solzt must have somehow been damaged on the way back because his energy was starting to waver and Goku's legs started wobbling beneath him. "Please, just let me get him to the medical bay!"

Frieza hesitated for a moment and it looked like he would deny Goku's request, but something calmed him and he frowned, "Do not dawdle. I expect you back at once."

Not waiting to nod, Goku sped down the hallways. They were empty anyways, most of the soldiers lay dead on Planet Cerise's surface and now they were all gone.

Suddenly, Goku gasped in realization. _The others! Where are the others?_ Paar, Letifer, Reizo and Lantern were still on the planet…_No;_ Goku thought with a choked sob, _there __**is**__ no more planet! _It was gone, burst into a thousand pieces of rubble.

He had forgotten about them, how _could_ he? They had still been flying towards the volcanic structure when he had left them and now, they were gone, only a memory along with Planet Cerise. Tears streamed down his face, Reizo, Letifer, Lantern and Paar appearing in his blurry vision as Goku remembered them.

They were all gone…He was alone, just him and Solzt. No more cards in the barracks or friendly sparring matches between Reizo. No more of Letifer's jokes and Lantern's serious attempts to educate him on string theory… Even Paar, the stern yet amiable captain was gone. Those blue eyes that bore into him every time that Goku did something wrong or managed to drag Reizo into trouble…they weren't there anymore.

Goku squeezed his eyes against the tears and trudged towards the medical bay.

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><p>Hi everyone, thank you for taking a moment to read this. One of my reviewers (who I am very thankful to) has noted that this story is mostly T rated.<p>

However, this is the first time I have every written a fanfiction this long and the rules of rating are a bit muddy to me. I plan on turning this story into a hardcore M after a certain point but obviously it would not be for every chapter. How would this story be rated then?

Is it a comparison of how much T is there compared to M material? Or do I place it as a T with a warning above an M rated chapter?

What do you guys think, is this an M rated story or something else? I would greatly appreciate a review or PM thrown in about this. It's been bothering me for a bit.

Thank you!


	19. A Useful Trick

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the reviews and for staying with me, helping me answer my rating question. I'm going to leave it as a T for a few more days as I upload more chapters just so I can get a good census of opinions!

On to Chapter 19!

Edit: I don't know why but I keep somehow uploading only half of my chapter. Here is the fixed Chapter 19!

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><p>Frieza had told Goku not to dawdle and yet even in the wake of his instructions, his thinly veiled threats; He stood before the healing chamber Solzt was floating in. Any other time Goku would have never willingly stepped into the Medical Bay. The doctors were always milling about, scurrying and grumbling to themselves about medicine or reports.<p>

It was obvious that their thoughts were about anything and everything except the welfare of their patients, their lives only valuable because of several checked boxes on paperwork.

In his experience, doctors never made anyone well but it was hard to back up that thought when Solzt, who had been on the brink of death, was being miraculously brought back under the soothing chemical compound that Goku couldn't even pronounce much less understand.

The glass was cold against his hands, as Goku had removed his gloves moments earlier and placed them on the panel beside the chamber. It was a relief, after the searing heat of Planet Cerise and the way everything felt so different through the gloves always struck him.

He couldn't remember the last time he had thought of ungloved hands as 'normal' and it scared him, shook his soul. Even as he stared at the back of his hand, white from lack of exposure to the sun, looked somehow different; as if it weren't really his own.

There were the scars he remembered, the ones he had received during years of training and conflict and the familiar contours of the bones that lay beneath the skin but it was still incommensurable.

Clenching those fingers against the glass, Goku fought against the urge to press his forehead against the chamber and cool his thoughts. Adrenaline still raced through him, made his knees shake imperceptibly against the metal of the control panel.

As he stared at Solzt's face, cleaned of blood yet still sporting scrapes and cuts that would fade away in several hours time, Goku wondered just what had gone so profoundly wrong back on Cerise.

Yarrow's face flickered quickly through his mind and Goku strained to hold onto it, to carefully trace his eyes over the leader's smooth skin and unreadable eyes but no matter how many times he remembered it or from whatever angle he tried to envision him, Goku could find no answers.

And so Goku was left with ambiguous questions and pointless what-if scenarios that he tried to conjure in order to justify the extreme direction their simple plan had gone. Perhaps it wasn't as simple as Goku had thought though and maybe _he_ was the one who had been simple in the telepathic exchange back at the vault.

The questions he wished to ask, Goku had hesitated in thinking them. Blindly, he wanted to save, to protect with no thought to the consequences. Ultimately, Yarrow's plan partly failed because Frieza was still alive.

The Aureolinium was still gone, forever out of Frieza's grasp but it was ironic that the Tyrant still remained. In a sense, Goku had betrayed Yarrow by saving the Icejin. They had won the war but they had lost the battle.

A pyrrhic victory.

He held no assumptions that he was clever or particularly smart. Goku was an instinctual creature, body deft in combat but dull of mind when it came to anything other than physical conflict and there was never a time he had felt it as keenly as he did now. For all the supercilious self-flattery Goku had given himself when donning the Cerisian's disguise, he had failed.

Not only Planet Cerise and its inhabitants, but he had also failed his squad.

People, to whom which he could never fully apologize to, could never supplicate no matter how hard he tried. His careless trust and desperate need to redeem his soul had cost the lives of men he had come to consider as friends. Along with the lives of several thousand Cerisians.

Retrospectively, perhaps it would have been better to let Frieza have the Aureolinium because it was difficult to remember why the sacrifice was necessary for the future when so many had died _now._ Needlessly.

Solzt, at least he was alive.

Goku looked at him again and bubbles burst forth from the mask Solzt wore, disappearing into the large tubular structure connecting to the chamber. The deep gashes on Solzt's chest were slowly disappearing and would become a memory in only hours. He kept forgetting that these chambers were older models, not the same one in which Vegeta had placed him in so long ago.

Turning his head, Goku ignored the strange looks he was being given by the doctors who were wondering why a warrior would be so unashamedly sentimental and focused his eyes on another patient floating in a healing chamber.

Zarbon.

The beautiful man's hair floated in the water in a swirl of uneven strands. Parts were gone, burnt away in the ambush and it created a comical semi-halo around Zarbon's prone body. The narcissistic alien would not be pleased when he awoke but he would probably understand that his hair was worth much less than his life. Unlike his hair, the gaping wound on his abdomen was mostly mended but would probably scar, most likely to his chagrin. The other minor injuries he had sustained to his limbs were gone though, almost invisible to Goku's eyes and he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Zarbon's shoulders moving in slow breaths.

Pacified at the sight of Zarbon and Solzt, infinitely glad that they would survive, Goku breathed and put on his gloves again. Pretending he was still the same person from a year ago was much more effortless if the evidence was covered; the white materials of the gloves like a blindfold.

Out of sight, out of mind.

When that was done, Goku sighed. He would have to believe that he had done what he could, no matter how much he wanted to tell himself otherwise.

Turning away from his healing comrade, Goku was surprised to see Dodoria's rotund body standing in the bay's doorway. The Lieutenant had crossed large arms over his broad chest, a strange expression in his deceptively doltish looking face. His presence had created a small stir among the doctors, one that Goku hadn't noticed at all, so keenly had he been ignoring them.

Indeed the white lab coated technicians and doctors moved about with much more caution, each word typed with sudden deliberation, each suspect of being in trouble or under some strange inspection despite the fact that Dodoria's attention was clearly on Goku.

Frieza's warning hung in his head again but Goku paid the words no attention. Frieza did not scare him and for all the ways the Tyrant tried to maintain the illusion of invincibility, he was just as brittle as the glass of the healing chambers.

Goku knew that more than anyone. Let Frieza berate him, threaten to kill him, glare daggers with those venomous eyes and it would make no difference to Goku.

He crossed the room towards Dodoria, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Frieza sent me after you the moment you left." He replied, uncrossing his arms and stepping into the hallway. A motion of his hand and Goku followed him, having no definitive direction.

From what Dodoria had just told him, Goku could surmise that the alien had waited an entire five or ten minutes despite the fact that getting Solzt into a tank took less than two. He quashed the urge to ask why, not really caring either way.

He was led down the hallway in a direction opposite the control room. Confused, Goku spoke, "Where are we going?"

Dodoria looked back at him, "The armory. I can't have you appearing before Frieza like _that._" He looked down pointedly at Goku's bloodied armor and torn spandex. Even the tips of his boots looked more brass than gold.

Nodding in understanding, Goku let Dodoria lead him to the armory. A beaked alien stood before the rows of metallic cases that opened to reveal armor of many different sizes. When he spotted Goku and Dodoria, the alien squawked in alarm and stuttered, "Dodoria!"

Dodoria pointed a pudgy thumb to Goku and in turn, Goku looked down at his armor, "Can I have another set please? Base size 5."

"Of course! And you won't need paperwork will you?" He looked at Dodoria quickly and the pink alien shook his head,

"Frieza summoned us. Get the armor."

The bird nodded quickly and ran towards one of the metal cases, punching a number into the panel so quickly that Goku didn't have time to register it. A moment later he was being handed a new black one piece, armor, boots and gloves.

Wasting no time, Goku changed on the spot, uncaring of Dodoria's presence or the alien's confused grunt. He had already spent too long in the Medical Bay and Frieza was unlikely to forgive such a blatant disregard of orders. Carefully, so as not to be noticed he bent over and pretended to be adjusting his boots.

In actuality, Goku removed the communicator and covered it with his palm. It was a bit bigger than his hand, but he was angled away from Dodoria and the green birdlike creature was pointedly looking away. Tucking it into his new boots, he stood up fully dressed.

"Take his old armor to the waste receptacle." Dodoria ordered and the beaked creature nodded its green feathered head, picking up the dirty pile of clothing and armor. With a shake of his large head, Dodoria motioned for Goku to follow him back out.

"So where are you taking me?" He asked tentatively, unsure of Dodoria's patience but unable to snuff down the urge to ask _something_ to break the silence.

"Frieza asked me to bring you to one of the observation rooms on this level." Dodoria answered indulgently, the rolls on the back of his head shifting slightly with each heavy-footed step he took.

Goku once again tried to ignore the lack of energy on the ship, aware that Frieza had once again killed his own men in a blind fit of rage or maybe a calculated act of vengeance in response to his anger. It disgusted the Saiyan just a little less than the fact that he had saved such a vile creature.

Dodoria finally stopped at one of the doors that Goku was not allowed to near, much less enter. The door was marked O-2.

Observatory two, Goku guessed and Dodoria leaned forward, speaking loudly, "Lord Frieza, I've brought Oroitz."

"You may enter." The voice was muffled but Dodoria winced, detecting something in Frieza's voice that Goku could not. With a look that reeked of pity, Dodoria motioned Goku in.

Goku bowed the way he had been taught to by his late captain, straightening up after a few seconds to stand stiffly.

The Icejin's back was to them, his small form illuminated at the edges by the multitude of stars visible in the darkness of space.

His tail rested against the floor, purple tip tapping lightly against the metal in mild exasperation, belying the rush of angry energy underneath. Frustration and rage, no doubt from the realization that he had been soundly defeated. Once by being denied the Aureolinium and secondly, by being saved at the hand of a lowly soldier.

"You're late." Frieza said and his tail stopped moving, resting against the floor and pregnant silence filled the air as he waited for a response, seemingly patient.

Goku started to open his mouth but Dodoria spoke before him, "We went by the armory, my lord."

Fighting not to look surprised, Goku nonetheless managed to shoot a questioning stare at Dodoria, who ignored him. With a mental laugh, Goku realized that this was the Lieutenant's way of showing his gratitude.

"Leave, Dodoria."

Dodoria did as he was commanded, walking towards the door and disappearing into the hallway. The door shut behind him with a metallic sliding noise and Goku was alone with Frieza.

Standing, Goku could barely see Frieza's reflection in the glass, able only to make out the black horns and whites of his eyes. He couldn't tell what Frieza's expression was, only guessing that it bordered on something between annoyance and cool rage.

The silence stretched on for longer than Goku was comfortable but even dense as he was, Goku understood that to speak would only worsen the situation. In all honesty, his nerves were frayed and keeping control was tenuous at best. If Frieza provoked him, even the metal bite of the communicator against his skin wouldn't be able to restrain him at that point.

The quiet was getting steadily worse and Goku shifted from one foot to the other. In the back of his mind, Goku wondered if this wasn't just another one of Frieza's games and he was just an unwilling pawn.

It didn't matter anyways and he pushed the thought of games out of his mind. There was no doubt that when it came to such sport, he was facing his better.

He just hoped he could keep his mouth shut.

* * *

><p>The soldier, Oroitz, was shifting behind him but Frieza ignored the sound of his boots dragging across the metal floor in favor of staring into space. Specifically, his dark glare was focused on the empty piece of darkness that was once home to Planet Cerise and Frieza felt the muscles of his tail twitch in agitation at the recent memory. The cold thrill of adrenaline had long worn from his system but the loss of his dignity had not.<p>

To say it was a pity would be a vast understatement. The planet itself was worthless to Frieza, but to have lost the Aureolinium…to have been _saved_ by some nameless soldier, it was an indignity almost too much to bear.

Even worse was the knowledge that he, the mightiest creature in the universe, he who had subjugated entire cosmos to his will, had fallen prey to a plan formed by inferior creatures.

A slipshod stratagem that led to the planet's destruction, the loss of the Aureolinium and Frieza's ignominious defeat. But…

He was still alive; survived the explosion of a planet's core. It was a feat that would have been impossible in his base form and for a moment, the unfamiliar sensation of pure fear had gripped his heart so tightly that Frieza momentarily forgot to breathe.

His limbs had frozen and his mind gone woefully blank at the sight of flames and pure energy angrily licking across the vault. There was nothing as chilling as that knowledge that Frieza, the most illustrious being to grace the Universe, was just as fragile as those he crushed beneath his feet.

In essence, he had knocked on death's door only to be whisked away at the last second to land safely on the floor of his ship. Even Frieza could forgive the brief flash of mortification at being seen sandwiched between Dodoria and Oroitz at the realization that he was still _alive._

Where his mind had ceased functioning, one of his soldiers's had not and ultimately, it was to _that_ which Frieza owed his life. Though he would never admit it aloud.

Turning his gaze away from the empty void, Frieza moved to see the soldier he had summoned.

He had been cleaned just as Dodoria had spoken, the torn and bloodied armor replaced. Indeed Oroitz looked fit to arrive before his presence save for the dark look that had overtaken his features. His eyes were cast downward, hands lying listless against his sides but the tense muscles of his stomach and legs all told Frieza that this was a warrior ready to react at any moment.

"That was a most intriguing trick," he started, stepping forward to stand only a few feet before the stiff warrior.

Oroitz looked like he was searching for an answer, black eyes flicking up to meet Frieza's in a confused gaze. He was unsure of how to play this game and finally opted to stay silent.

Frieza was not impressed but it wasn't as if he expected Oroitz to be especially intelligent. It was just another animal that reacted to circumstance.

He continued, suddenly annoyed, "Had you dare laid a hand on my person in any other situation, you would have met a very timely demise. Do you understand?"

Oroitz nodded, casting his eyes down again. He looked to open his mouth, but then higher function seemed to intercede and those lips closed again.

"What is this technique called?" Frieza questioned him. Truly, he was intrigued by such a trick if it were indeed possible to utilize it.

"It's called Instant Transmission."

Frieza's lips turned downwards in a frown as he combed his perfect memory for such a name. "Would you care to offer the details?" Tilting his horned head, Frieza waited for the soldier to compose himself, gather his thoughts together in that thick skull.

A moment later, Oroitz raised his head and met Frieza's gaze without even the slightest hint of fear or trepidation. Those black depths seemed to be clear of doubt or worry, and in truth, Oroitz's stare sparked a twinge of anxiety in Frieza's stomach.

He had seen defiance in the eyes of his soldiers, particularly the Saiyan Prince he had acquired not so long ago. Fear and awe were also common responses to his presence and Frieza had basked in both when he desired but he had never seen such a stare.

A stare that seemed to suck Frieza in without even the slightest hesitation. It was eerie, almost as if this soldier, Oroitz, somehow _knew_ him. If that was even possible. Annoyance overtook the anxiety at the thought and Frieza couldn't help but bristle at the notion. Perhaps the adrenaline from escaping death had not yet worn off as quickly as he had thought.

Oroitz was opening his mouth and Frieza could see the blunt teeth, formed in a perfect line, "It's a technique that lets me move through space on certain conditions."

"And what conditions are those?"

Oroitz held a hand up, one finger pointed upwards, "First, I need to lock onto someone's energy."

Lock…onto someone's energy? That was a strange thought, was that even possible?

"Then," Oroitz continued, holding up a second finger, "All I have to do is imagine the place and go there."

There was a frown forming on Frieza's face again and for some strange reason, Oroitz's explanation irked him. The eyes that had been so grim had widened, innocent and childlike as he spoke to Frieza. There was even the slightest tilt to his head and his posture had relaxed.

Oroitz's nonchalance to Frieza's presence was starting to get bothersome but the tyrant simply chalked it up to the creature's stupidity. That pony-tail must have been far too tight for the poor animal.

"What are the limits?" Frieza asked, curious as to what this Instant Transmission could really do.

"Hm…" Oroitz leaned back and placed a hand on his head, rubbing the strands in thought. "Well, I have to be able to sense them. If I can't lock onto energy, I can't do it. And sometimes, someone's Ki might be too far away for me to lock onto."

The ridges above Frieza's eyes raised in astonishment. "How far are you able to travel?"

Oroitz thought again, but there was something different. His posture had stiffened and for a moment, he hesitated.

Too long.

"If you are considering misleading me by lying, I would _sorely_ advise you to rethink." Clearly the warrior had to be incredibly dull to think that he could delude Frieza and when his shoulders slumped slightly; Frieza knew he had been right in his guess. In response, Frieza brought his powerful tail down onto the floor, chuckling when Oroitz jumped at the sound.

The feeling of triumph was short lived when Frieza realized that his black eyes were still devoid of fear or even worry. "Speak quickly." He advised, ignoring the rising anger. There, a small trickle of surprise and alarm in those eyes and the sight pacified the Icejin.

"Well, as long as I can sense the energy, I can get there." Oroitz offered dully, shrugging as if he had already explained it to a small child.

"Watch your tongue." Frieza warned, grinning as Oroitz stepped back with his hands in the air.

"Sorry!" He offered somewhat sheepishly and Frieza sighed.

"No matter. You will demonstrate your Instant Transmission." Crossing his hands over his chest, Frieza watched Oroitz's eyebrows shoot up past his bangs.

"Um…Ok. What do you want me to do?"

Frieza rolled his eyes. It was folly of him to think that this lower creature could be anything remotely intelligent but perhaps that would serve him better in the future. Those who were usually bright tended to be much more rebellious and an ignorant minion was sometimes more useful than even the brightest mind.

Pondering for a moment, Frieza thought of the farthest point on his ship. That would have to be the docking bay, two levels lower. "Take me to one of the docking gates." He ordered decisively.

A hand extended towards him. Actually, it was more a downturned fist and Frieza looked at it, unmoving.

"You have to be touching me," Oroitz explained, "Otherwise I can't take you anywhere."

Frieza sneered in disgust at the sight of the gloved hand, "Put that down you simpleton. There is no need for such a frivolous gesture."

The hand fell to Oroitz's side, still clenched in a fist.

Bringing his tail forward, Frieza touched the very tip of Oroitz's gold boots with it. If anyone looked at it from the side, they would have wondered if the tail was really touching Oroitz at all but Frieza had no desire to defile himself with the animal's touch and he made sure that no other part made contact.

"Will this be enough?" He asked, daring Oroitz to say no but the warrior didn't rise to the bait, surprisingly compliant. There was a smile stretching across his peach face and it annoyed Frieza even more. He would need to teach this creature a lesson should he continue such insolent behavior.

"Yeah, that's fine!" Raising two fingers, Oroitz placed them on his forehead, a move that Frieza hadn't seen him do back on Cerise but before he did anything more, Frieza spoke,

"Remind yourself that I will _not_ take kindly to any attempts at a trick."

His ire didn't calm at all when Oroitz simply nodded at him like a twit and went back to concentrating. One of the muscles beneath Frieza's eye twitched uncontrollably and the tyrant sneered at the pony-tailed man, wishing he could just kill him. However, that would be unwise for such a trick was indispensible.

"Let's go!" Oroitz exclaimed and they were flickering away.

* * *

><p>If there was one word that Goku could think of to sum up his day, it would be "harrowing." There was no other way to describe it and he was tired in ways he hadn't thought possible. It had taken a long while to convince Frieza of his aptitude regarding the Instant Transmission and Goku's seemingly infinite patience was worn thin when the Tyrant demanded he perform the technique yet again. For the <em>millionth <em>time.

They had gone to the docks, the medical bay, the armory and a multitude of other places, aliens at every spot jumping and flailing about at the sight of them leader spontaneously appearing before them. Goku thought that Frieza, in part, seemed to only want to surprise his henchmen and took immense pleasure in the fact that now he could literally be 'everywhere and nowhere.'

At one point he had been so annoyed with Frieza's billionth order that he almost offered to teach it to the Icejin, then of course thought better.

If he remembered correctly, it numbered about fifty or so Transmissions until Frieza, satisfied that he was not really being tricked or sent into an alternate dimension for eternity, dismissed Goku with the orders that he was not to use Instant Transmission without the Icejin's consent.

Thankfully, Goku had been too tired and annoyed to laugh. Retrospectively, that was good because there was no way in hell or heaven that he would actually let the Tyrant decide when or where he was going to use his technique. Damn bastard could go learn it himself if he really needed it that badly.

However exasperated and tired Goku was, he pushed thoughts of the horned alien out of his head and walked towards the medical bay. With any luck, hopefully Solzt would be fully healed and Goku could explain the situation to him. Cringing at the thought of having to enlighten Solzt as to why he and Goku were the only ones alive, he stopped right before the glass doors to the bay.

Before Goku could find a way to let the doctors allow him entry into the bay, the doors slid open and one of the doctor's bade him in.

"Oroitz, yes?" He questioned Goku, thin hand moving in a flurry over a keyboard.

Goku looked at the amphibian, wrinkling his nose at the nauseating smell of antiseptic wafting heavily from his coat. Ula never smelled like this and for that, he was very glad. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

The doctor brought up a taloned hand to yawn, then turned dark eyes to Goku, "Dodoria told us to let you in when you came. What do you need?"

Goku opened his mouth to tell him about Solzt when suddenly, a louder voice interrupted him, "And that's the man right there, Zarbon."

Snapping his head at the mention of Zarbon, he saw the Lieutenant being escorted into the main room by an older, humanoid alien. The doctor ran forward, grabbed Goku by the forearm with surprising strength and very nearly hauled him towards Zarbon. "If he'd gotten you here any later, you would have died!" The man explained and Goku grinned nervously at the praise even though he truly was glad to see Zarbon was alive.

"Hey Zarbon," He offered, not noticing Zarbon's widening golden eyes, "How are you feeling?"

Zarbon hesitated for a moment, as if he were trying to make sense of everything all at once, "I'm alright. Was it really you?"

Goku nodded and Zarbon shot a glare at the doctor who was hanging around them and in no time, the old man had scurried off to do whatever they did in the medical bay. Without another word, he began to head towards the doors and glanced back at Goku, "Come with me."

"But my friend…" He began, turning his head towards the healing chambers in the other room. Solzt might still be-

"Your friend is still healing." The same old man said, Zarbon's silent threats having already worn off, "If he wakes up, I'll open a direct line to your scouter." Shooing Goku off with an impatient wave, the wizened man turned back to his computer, returning to work.

Goku stood there for a moment before heading after Zarbon.

The Lieutenant was ambling down the hallway and Goku could see a slight limp to his gait. It was evident that Zarbon had also noted it for he walked faster than usual in an attempt to mask his injury. In some cases, only time could heal certain wounds but Goku would have definitely relinquished two or three day's worth of rations for a bag of senzu beans in any case.

He would have considered slowing down had it not been obvious that Zarbon would probably not take kindly to what he might think of as pity so Goku just caught up to his pace, pretending not to notice. Strange, because before he had arrived in the past he might have never caught onto something so minute in nature.

Back then he would have blurted it out, wanted Zarbon to slow down and possibly injure the man's pride in the process.

Pride.

That was something that Goku didn't really have a clear concept of. He understood pride of skill and he was proud of his Saiyan heritage but he could never really comprehend Vegeta's pride. Or Piccolo's and here, Solzt's. It seemed to Goku that their pride might be somewhat different than his and it was apparent in the way that Zarbon walked with all the confidence of a powerful warrior despite being in the tank for a day or two.

Well, he may have not understood it but Goku was definitely more aware of it now, more sensitive to wounding it. At least _something_ good had come out of his time traveling.

Now if only he could get the communicator fixed but that was looking bleaker and bleaker by the day, especially now that Frieza was aware of him as more than just a nameless, faceless soldier in the lower strata of his army.

There was a gasp from Zarbon and Goku stopped in his tracks, immediately expanding his senses and tensing his muscles in preparation for battle. When no attack came, the hallways devoid of people, he turned a questioning glance at the Lieutenant, who was staring out one of the rare windows of the ship.

"What's wrong Zarbon?" Goku ventured after a moment and he jumped back when the man whirled, his face a clear picture of panic.

"My hair!" He sputtered, flicking his head back to the window to look at his reflection, "It's _ruined!_"

The absurdity of Zarbon's panic forced a giggle from Goku, a small chuckle which turned into uncontrollable laughter and he braced himself against the wall to keep from falling. Aware of Zarbon's incredulous glare and tightly pursed lips, Goku still was unable to restrain his laughter and when the Lieutenant sputtered in fury, another wave of cackles wracked Goku's frame.

"Oh god, Zarbon-" He chortled, finally collecting himself and sighing, "I'm really sorry! It's just-"

"It's just _what._" The words were spat venomously but when Goku looked at Zarbon, intending to apologize, the sight of uneven, burnt strands coming up in a frizzy halo around his infuriated face made Goku dissolve into giggles.

Waving a hand at Zarbon, Goku calmed down a bit even though his lips still twitched at the corners, "It's sort of hard to take you seriously like that."

That had definitely been the wrong thing to say and Zarbon's light green face became an interesting shade of red.

"Well, you're really good looking!" Goku amended quickly, stepping back from the fuming alien, "No matter what hairstyle you have you're probably gonna look handsome anyways!"

When Zarbon's face didn't relax, Goku quickly added, "Really! I mean it!"

A delicate hand came to rub at Zarbon's temples and he sighed into his palm, "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days Oroitz, running your mouth without thinking like that."

Goku grinned, "We'll see."

That earned him another glare and Zarbon started walking again, pointedly looking away from Goku. Still, the half burnt hair didn't help him look serious at all and Goku had to stop himself from giggling.

"So," Zarbon interrupted his chuckles with a scowl, "I guess I owe you."

"Huh?" Goku asked, "For what?"

Zarbon shot him a sharp look, eyebrows gathered in annoyance, "For…" he hesitated, lip curling upwards, "…saving me."

Shaking his head, Goku clapped a hand on Zarbon's unarmored shoulder, the man in only a blue one piece and boots that were given to him at the bay, "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

Zarbon had stopped walking again, turning to face Goku with a somber look that was not at all lightened by the frizzy hair, "How did you manage to get me to the ship so quickly? The doctor informed me that any moment later and I would have died."

Goku floundered for a moment. Should he tell Zarbon about the Instant Transmission? Frieza already knew about it so it wasn't exactly a large secret anymore…but at the same time it was difficult to explain without demonstrating and he wasn't exactly sure that Zarbon _wouldn't_ tell Frieza that Goku had showed it to him. Not that Goku was really going to follow Frieza's orders on using Instant Transmission but he had no desire to get himself in trouble with the Icejin.

"Um, I think you'll find out soon enough." He offered weakly, knowing that was the vaguest and most annoying answer one could receive to a question. Goku himself wasn't really bothered when he was given cryptic answers but he doubted that Zarbon would take kindly to them. Rarely anyone did.

His prediction was correct and Zarbon's eyebrows shot up and then down to scrunch together in impatience. Tilting his hips in a manner that reminded Goku of Bulma, Zarbon crossed his arms and glared at him, apparently unwilling to move until Goku elaborated.

"Um…Frieza ordered me not to show it to anyone." He said, hoping that would clear things up and Zarbon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Lord Frieza?" Zarbon ventured, and then snapped his mouth shut quickly, having apparently realized something of great importance. Before Goku could say anything, Zarbon broke into a run –as much of a run a man with a limp can do- and headed towards the window, staring out into the darkness as if seeing space for the first time.

"Oroitz?" His eyes didn't move from the scenery.

"Yeah?"

"Why are we in space?"

Oh. That's right…Zarbon didn't know. He had been in the tank for the entire duration of events. Sighing, Goku leaned against the wall and tried to find the best method of explanation. "Well, the planet kinda blew up but not before I managed to save Frieza and Dodoria-"

"What?" Zarbon's mouth was hanging slightly, and he was suddenly standing right in front of Goku, close enough to see his own reflection in those golden eyes. Then as if composing himself, Zarbon pressed his face into the palms of his hands and breathed deeply. "I think," he began, voice muffled by his skin, "I think you should start from the beginning. After you got me on the ship."

"That's a really long story Zarbon." Goku said, frowning, "I'm not really a good storyteller either. Maybe Dodoria-"He was interrupted by the hand on his shoulder, pulling Goku towards an unknown direction.

"Where are we going?"

The reply was quick, dry "My quarters."

"Why?"

"Because," Zarbon said slowly, as if explaining to a dull witted child, "I am certainly not going to parade around with half burnt hair and _you,"_ he stressed the word, "are you going explain _everything_ to me."

Goku groaned, still being pulled by Zarbon, "Can we at least go to the cafeteria?"

When Zarbon glared, Goku brought his lips together in a pout.

He had been so hungry too.


	20. The Weight of Righteousness

Hi everyone! The story is finally starting to move! Thanks for staying with me this whole while!

Onto Chapter 20 of Dream of Yesterday!

**WARNING! THIS CHAPTER RATED M FOR HEAVY MENTIONS OF RAPE**

* * *

><p>The hallways of Frieza's ships were always brightly lit and rarely did the clamor of the docking bays ever really cease. For the residents of the second level however, the soldiers, minor engineers and technicians that were done with shifts or missions, it was getting late.<p>

Despite the constant beam of artificial lights hanging in the large corridors, there was barely a movement from anyone other than an occasional guard or passerby.

Even the training hall's lights were dimming to signal that they were not to be used. Soldiers had a curfew apparently, one that technicians and engineers were supposed to follow as well. There were missions to be done and planets to purge on time and according to gossip that flowed from the higher levels, Frieza hated minions who took it upon themselves to make executive decisions, disposing of anyone who even glanced the wrong way without his consent.

Therefore when the lights in the medical bay began to soften, Ula knew it was time to head to her quarters.

In that sense she was luckier than most, Ula supposed. At least she got her own room, small though it was.

Her webbed fingers were still flying over keys somewhat hesitantly since she hadn't learned how to type perfectly yet and there were always small mistakes and errors she had to check for. Every document she wrote up or log she updated, Ula had to double and triple check to make sure there weren't any errors. Zarbon's last visit made sure of that habit when he walked in absolutely furious, golden eyes blazing at her and waving the report she had uploaded to the mainframe. His handsome face had been twisted in a vicious snarl as he hissed at Ula.

One single '0' had been accidentally added to the recommended dosage for a patient and it had cost the man his life. Someone apparently important enough that Zarbon had _personally_ come down to the medical bay to rip her apart.

One more mistake like that, he had told her, and she would be disposed of. There was no room for useless people on Frieza's ship and if she didn't shape up, she would quickly fall into that category. So with that in mind, Ula made sure that she had typed the correct names of the medicines into the latest report and double checked to see that the correct dosages were to be administered before she finally saved it and uploaded it.

Pushing Zarbon's face aside along with the memory of the not-so-subtle threat, Ula stretched in her chair and raised her scaled arms far above her frilled head. She had been hunched over the computer nearly all day, writing reports, updating logs, sorting new medicine and making sure that she was safe.

Well, in general at least.

The lights were dim; she noticed and looked at the time. With a sigh, she pushed herself out of her chair and adjusted her coat so it wouldn't push against the frills on her arms. Her bent spine was starting to feel the painful work day and her wrists were sore from being in the same position for over ten hours. Saruvel had been gone the entire day because he'd been needed on the third level and had most likely already turned in for the night.

Ula was always the last one to leave the Medical Bay and always for the same reason. Her golden head turned to look at the stack of papers sitting on the desk beside one of the regeneration tanks and she felt a groan bubbling up in her chest at the sight. She had so many things to type up! It was almost ridiculous that Frieza still had parchment on the ship.

Pushing the chair into the desk, she walked around the Bay to make sure all the tools and instruments were in their correct places and shoved the stack of papers in one of the cabinets that lined the walls. Tomorrow, Ula would get to them but tonight she didn't want to see a single piece of paper. It felt like every new day on Frieza's ship taxed her powers more and more especially since one of the Regeneration tanks was on the fritz and that meant that she had to manually heal nearly every other patient that walked in here, some of whom were less pleasant than most.

The mandatory black one piece was chafing against her skin and the coat was starting to feel heavier and heavier with each passing second. Even the air was starting to get heavy and she longed to go soak in her bathtub, specially installed to make sure she got in enough water. All in all, she felt absolutely drained and read to knock out in her quarters.

One last visit to the desk to make sure the drawers and computer were locked out and finally everything was in place. Despite the tiredness she felt in every part of her body, Ula was also proud that she managed to get this much done in ten or so hours.

Suddenly, there was a presence behind her and two muscular arms framed her body, pinning her against the desk. Ula stiffened, breath coming out in short gasps and the frills on her arms stood straight up as she realized who it was.

"Navac…" She breathed, body paralyzed against the desk. Navac's breath ghosted down the back of her head frill and she shivered in disgust when he laughed, a hoarse wheezing voice.

"Hello Ula." He said, "I see you're alone today. Where is the good doctor?" The words held an undertone of amusement in them.

Ula could feel his muscled body pressing against her back and painfully pushing her into the desk. She struggled to say something, her throat suddenly clogged with fear and anxiety. _Not this again…_She thought deliriously, and noticed that she was shaking.

There was a laugh behind her and that coarse timbre washed over her small body. Those brown, thick fingers started to trail up her wrist and settle at the edge of the frills on her forearm. There was a shift and a strong leg pushed between her thin ones and Ula was forced to bend at the waist to alleviate the pain,

"What's wrong Ula?" He asked again, fingers snapping around her arm like a vice and she fought not to cry out in pain, managing to stifle a sob that was rising in her chest. Those arms grabbed her and whirled her around and she tilted her head to look at the ceiling. She wanted to look at anything, _anything_ but his disgusting face.

But her efforts were useless as he forced her head down to look at him. Her violet eyes met Navac's own brown ones and they narrowed in express amusement, taking joy in the fact that she was trapped and weak. He leaned closer, revolting breath washing over her face and Ula closed her eyes, trying to wrench away from his iron grip. "Please…" She managed to choke, "Don't do this."

Her pleas were met with more thick laughter and Navac tightened his grip on her and this time, she couldn't suppress a whimper of pain. Panic was whirling inside her but she was alone and it was after hours on the ship, no one would come.

"There's no one to help you," Navac said, echoing what she had been thinking only moments before. A gentle finger trailed down her neck and the strong alien tilted his head, eyes softening in mock puzzlement. "And Ula, you wound me…" He started, pressing harder and rubbing against her abdomen, "I thought you would look forward to these nights."

There was the distinct feeling of nausea boiling in Ula's stomach and she could feel his hardness rubbing against her, making the material chafe harder against her sore skin. She struggled, trying to push him away but she was pinned and her movements were only making him more excited.

Navac's breath was coming out faster and his eyes were starting to glaze over in a manner she was far too familiar with. A sob managed to tear out of her throat and Ula stilled, not wanting to make him any more eager but it was already too late.

"Please Navac…" She started, begging him. _Don't do this, not again.__** Please. Someone help me.**_ But there was no one, and the bastard knew it, smiling at her in amusement.

_Not again, not again, not again…_ The memories were still too clear from their previous encounter…and the one before that. She tried to push against him again with her shoulders but it was like a seahorse trying to shove a whale.

Effortlessly he pinned her back down with his muscled body, the pads of his armor pressing painfully against her torso. "Oh, I like it when you beg." He murmured, hand coming up from her arm to tear at the spandex covering her chest. Grinning at the sight of the purple splotches on her torso, he ran his gloved fingers over them, making her wince.

"You know," He commented, ignoring her sob of terror and forcing her coat down over her arms, "I think about you on the way back from every mission."

She shivered, biting her own lip to try and stifle the pitiful whimper that was threatening to erupt. She should be used to this, she should be _prepared _but there was no schedule to Navac's arrivals, no set time or date. Somehow, he always managed to catch her alone. When she was more vulnerable than usual.

After the first time, she had begged him to kill her, end her misery but Navac simply laughed with his low voice, mocking and full of deadly promise. He'd left her broken and bleeding on the tiled floor of the bay with barely enough strength to drag herself to her quarters where she had cried herself to sleep. The nightmares lasted for days and paranoia claimed nearly every waking moment.

"On the pod…" He was still speaking, hoarse voice muffled against her cheek when he pressed his lips there. "I fuck my fist and I pretend it's you." Sighing wistfully, he pulled back enough to look into her eyes, "But it ain't as _tight_ as you."

Ula made a noise of revulsion and was punished when his strong hands pulled at the frills on her forearms, threatening to tear it and Navac laughed when she let out a low moan of pain.

"Where should I fuck you this time?"

She pushed against him again in an attempt to dislodge him. Maybe if she was lucky she could unbalance him and get awa-

His dark lips turned downwards in a frown and he shook his head at her, sighing, "Now don't do that Ula."

The way he always hissed her name, like it dripped from his lips like _slime._

"Don't you remember the last time you tried to fight?" Rough fingers pushed against the bruises on her chest and his face twisted in a vicious grin when she sobbed with pain, trying to twist away from his grip. "But…" He whispered, forcing his mouth over hers, one gloved hand clenching against her jaw.

She knew better than to bite.

Navac had struck hard enough to render Ula unconscious.

But he hadn't stopped and she had woken up hours later in the darkness of the Medical Bay, alone and lying in a pool of semen and blood. At least the cover of darkness had hidden her pain and humiliation.

_**Please someone help me. Oroitz…**_

But no matter how many times she had called for him, he would never-

"Get away from her."

Navac stiffened, his disgusting tongue stilling between her lips. Slowly, deliberately he pulled away and Ula's chest clenched with sudden excitement and relief. Navac's ugly face turned from hers to whoever had dared to interrupt them.

Ula's eyes were watering and she took a quick intake of breath, hands trembling at her sides.

_Oroitz!_

Her savior and the man she owed her life to stood before them, his muscular frame illuminated by the light of the hallways. She could barely see his face but it really _was_ Oroitz! But his eyes were narrow, fierce and the scowl he wore on his face vicious and angry.

"Let go of her and move away." He hissed, voice almost unrecognizable in its rage. His hands were clenched against his sides, shaking with barely restrained fury.

Navac only laughed but Ula could feel him against her, tense and affronted at being interrupted. His erection had wilted, leaving only hard muscle pressed against her, rubbing the abrasive cloth of the one piece against Ula's skin.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Navac grunted, pulling away from Ula.

She collapsed against the table, knees weak with relief and she smiled weakly at Oroitz, hoping he could see her face. He must have been able to because there was a small flicker of movement in his black eyes. The sight of her did something though and fury lit his face like fire.

Oroitz stalked to them, each footstep a sound of judgment against the metal floor.

"Hey! You can't just fucking walk in here like-"

A hand wrapped around his throat, white, like bone. It squeezed, cruel and merciless.

There was the sound of bone creaking and a thrill of fear shot through Ula. Navac's eyes were rolling back in his head, froth forming at the corners of his mouth as he scrabbled uselessly against Oroitz's strong grip.

And Oroitz's eyes were wide and wild, his teeth visible and grit so hard it looked like they would crack. His fury was palpable, the air sparking with power.

Ula leapt forward, ignoring the electrical currents licking against her. Navac's hands fell limp against his body. He was dangling in the air, tips of his boots barely brushing the floor.

"Stop, Oroitz!" She was pushing against his arm, trying to bring it down, loosen his hand. Navac couldn't breathe anymore. His muscles were barely twitching. She had to stop him! "Oroitz! You're going to kill him!"

That seemed to snap some sense into him and his eyes flickered, a light of his normal self appearing briefly, only to be consumed by rage again, "Why?" He growled, bringing Navac's pale, slack face closer. "He was going to-_going to…_"

"I know!" Ula sobbed, pressing her face against his side. She shook against him, hands trembling against his arm, "But what about _you?_ I _need_ _you Oroitz._" She felt the muscles of his arm loosen and he wrenched away from her, throwing Navac into the hallway.

The ugly humanoid collapsed against the floor, limbs flying through the air and folding under him. He lay still, his body unmoving save for the slight twitches of his fingers. His chest rose and fell in breath.

Ula sighed in relief. As long as Navac was alive, it meant that Oroitz was safe. That's all she cared about.

"He'll be fine in an hour." Oroitz said, pushing Ula aside gently. He kneeled beside the fallen Navac, one hard knee pressing against his chest.

Oroitz looked like a lover, leaning over his prone mate to whisper loving words. Unintentionally sweet, the smile that graced his face looked positively angelic.

She couldn't hear, but the words he said could not have been sweet. Navac's eyes widened fractionally and even weak as he was, almost dead against the floor, Ula could sense his fear.

When Oroitz stood up, his eyes were no longer the mindless, empty rage they were moments ago. But now they were unfathomable depths of sadness, the eyes of a man who had lived many decades more than her, had witnessed countless tragedies.

He offered a hand to Ula, the same hand that had very nearly choked the life out of Navac and for a moment she was afraid to take it. That hand had killed so many, had torn the heart out of her people, her friends…her _family._

However, that was also the hand that had reached out to Ula when she had lain against the walls of her chambers, cowering in fear and helpless against the onslaught of terror that had paralyzed her limbs and mind. It was the same hand that was reaching to her _now_.

Again.

She took it. She didn't let him pull her.

This time, she would save Oroitz.

* * *

><p>"Where are we?" Goku asked softly.<p>

The metal door closed behind him with a soft sliding sound, sealing him and Ula in a large room. It was dark and the only light that entered was from the faint glow of the stars visible from the small slits between the steel coverings on the wall. Even his eyes could not see that well in such blackness and he had to wait a moment for his vision to adjust. There was piping all around, the sound of steam distant but a constant buzz in his ears.

It should have been hot in there but there was a chill creeping down Goku's back and he shivered, hand tightening in Ula's firm grasp. But no, it wasn't firm. It was just as fragile as his. He looked at it, small and trembling in his grip but those fingers clung against his gloves like a lifeline.

He clutched back, hating the way his fingers shaking. His digits felt brittle, like the slightest wind would make them crumble. Why?

"It used to be an observatory room." Ula's soft voice drifted to his ears and he looked up, eyes meeting the back of her frilled head.

They were standing still, Goku's foot still in front of the other, unsure of where to go. She had stopped, her torso slightly angled as she held his hand. Even in the absolute darkness, her small scales were shimmering like stars.

"But it was too close to the bay. A structural weakness, so they sealed it up."

There was a tug on his arm and he followed her blindly, letting Ula lead him to the distant wall. She raised her hand and placed it on the textured wall, different from the other three. He followed her example, stepping forward to press against the wall with his free hand, almost jerking away when the sensation of cold ran down his arm.

It was a metal covering. The slits were just breaks in the metallic curtain that covered glass. What was once a room meant for recreation had become a dark box in which he and Ula were trapped in of their own volition. From one death to another.

Rage still held Goku's legs, and they ached to go back to where that bastard lay. He wanted to break, to feel the man's bones _splinter_ under his boot. Never had had wanted to see an enemy soak in their own tears and blood so badly. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him, demanding that he return and snuff the alien's life out.

"You're hurting me." She said and Goku gasped, realizing that he had clenched his fingers too tightly.

He struggled for words. What could he say right now?

Ula turned to him, eyes shining with unshed tears and the urge to kill flared almost uncontrollably. Her eyelids drooped and there was a soft smile to her mouth. Goku wanted to ask why. How could she smile?

His eyes dropped lower, over her nose and lips to look at her chest. The spandex there was torn and he could see dark spots spread randomly across the small torso. He hadn't realized he was growling until she stepped towards him, pressing her face against his armor.

"It's ok." She said and for some reason, those words calmed him. They shouldn't have. "Sit with me." Pulling away, Ula walked to one of the tables but she didn't pull up a chair. Instead, she slid down the side and drew him down beside her.

They sat in the darkness holding hands until he shivered from the cold. Goku drew her to him, wrapping an arm around her back to rest on her shoulder and Ula curled into his side, placing her legs over his. "Are you warm?" He asked, wincing at the words. They were so ineffective, so useless. But he didn't know what else to say.

They seemed enough for her though and Ula smiled against his skin, "Yes. Thank you."

"He placed his free hand against her arm, and she tucked her face into his chest, a small sob wrenched from her chest. She shook in his arms and he could do nothing but tighten them around her in an attempt to ward off the chills…and whatever else that might plague her.

"I wonder what this room might have looked like without the coverings." She said after a while, voice low and almost dreamy. Her breaths were warm puffs of air though his one piece. "We don't have any other observatories on this floor."

"I saw one on the third." He offered weakly, trying to remember as much detail as he could to try to relay it to her. "It was a bit room, with lots of computers on the sides. There were a few tables but nothing else. But the wall was just one big window. You could see really, really far."

Ula smiled, looking up at him. "Could you see the stars?"

He nodded, pulling her closer, "They were really pretty."

She sighed wistfully, "I wish I could go there."

He would take her, Goku wanted to say. One day he would take her on a trip through space and it would be without war, without death. She wouldn't have to worry or be afraid but he kept his mouth shut. The old Goku would have made a promise like that. Would have opened his mouth without thinking, would have given false hope where there was none to be found. He wasn't that Goku anymore.

There were no promises he could make to her. He wouldn't dare.

"I'm sorry." He choked out, mouth twisting in a hateful sneer against himself. "I'm sorry!" Goku pressed his face against her, mindful of Ula's frill.

There was no sound from her and for one chilling moment, he was afraid that she would hate him. Would pull away and leave him there but there was a sound, a small sigh. "For what?"

What did she mean? "For everything." The reply was true. "I brought you here." He had ripped her from her world and it hadn't even been for her sake. "I- I wanted to- and I…" His throat wasn't working, and his vision was steadily becoming unclear.

A tear trailed down his cheek and he clenched his eyes shut, "I failed."

"No." Ula said but she was sobbing. He could feel wetness against his collarbone. "You didn't fail. You saved me."

"And brought you on this ship! What kind of life is this!" He demanded, angry. Why couldn't she just hate him? Agree with him? Renounce Goku as her friend? It would be so much simpler to despise himself when there was no one to contradict him. "_What kind of life is this?"_ He repeated the words, but they were weak. Broken.

"It's a life."

The answer was so easy. It shouldn't have calmed him like that. Shouldn't have made the hate wash away so easily, without resistance. Goku should have protested against it but it rung with his heart. His fingers shook against her coat and he clutched her to him like a lifeline.

"It's a life." He repeated mindless after her, like he was trying to understand what those words really meant.

"And you gave it to me." Ula said. Her fingers were curling into his suit and armor, brushing against his skin. "Thank you." She said, forcing him to look at her. "_Thank you Oroitz."_

He stared at her. Stared at the sliver of light highlighting her nose, the faint light making her eyes sparkle like bright suns in the darkness. Goku was captivated. They were so pure and _right._ There was no doubt in their depths. She held no doubt in Goku.

Absolute faith. That was what he saw in them and instantly, he felt humbled.

She pulled away almost reluctantly and his hands tightened against his will before they relaxed, loosening their grip against her clothing. Ula was standing up, but she wasn't looking at him.

"I have to go. I have to wake up early."

Goku nodded, his head feeling like a heavy stone. He sat there as she walked towards the door and he heard it open.

"Ula…" He started, and her footsteps stilled behind them. Her silhouette was clear against the metal curtain, framed by the never dimming light of the hallways. "Why...why didn't you tell me?"

There was silence and Ula's form remained still, like a picture.

"You're not always here."

The form disappeared and Goku was left alone with himself. He didn't realize the passage of time. He didn't feel the cold of the air or hear the steam in the background. He felt nothing but the all encompassing numbness that was eating at his chest.

_You're not always here._

How could one sentence shatter him like that? What had he done? In his attempts at kindness – no, at _redemption-_ he had condemned an innocent woman. A woman who had stayed silent, bearing the weight of his decision on her shoulders. Alone.

Goku had thought she was safe. She was a healer, valuable so she would be protected from death. He had saved her _life._

How could he have been so naïve? How had he lived his entire life like this? Goku laughed at himself, at his weakness. Bringing his hands up, he could barely see them but he could trace them in his head. Even through the tears.

He had protected her from the Grim Reaper's embrace without realizing there were things much worse than death.

Goku pressed the palms of his hands against his mouth, eyes wide with pain as his teeth bit through the material and pressed against his skin. He had forcefully dragged Ula from death and imposed on her a life of hell she would have never had to suffer otherwise.

What did it matter if his hands were clean when the entire floor was drenched in blood?

In that instant, he felt something crack inside. It welled up through his stomach like a flood, choking him with its intensity and Goku screamed against his hands. He couldn't see anymore, couldn't think or feel anything but _rage._

_Fury._

Not at Frieza.

Not at the bastard who had raped her.

Only at himself.

There was a flash of light so blinding that Goku thought he was somehow witnessing a supernova. The entire world was being flooded with that golden radiance. The air was hot, supercharged and Goku removed his hands, letting his scream echo with all its strength and intensity. He was losing it. That light wasn't a supernova, it was _him._

He needed to stop. It was devouring everything around him like fire! It licked against the metal of the walls, burned against the tables, and melted away everything in its path.

_I need to stop._

But it was so hard. The rage was consuming his soul, rising through his stomach so uncontrollable that it might devour him as well. There was nothing in his vision except for white and gold and Goku grit his teeth, clenching his muscles in an attempt to reign himself in.

He could feel other people too. Their energies were rising and there was a din in the back of his head. They were alarmed, running towards him despite the fact that they were afraid. Should he kill them? It was their fault.

They _forced _him to wear their uniform.

_They forced him to kill._

They forced- wait.

_No. Stop! __**I am not an animal!**_

It was as if a rain had poured on his raging inferno, bringing it down to nothing but ashes in its path and Goku woke up. His vision cleared but the room he had been standing in was demolished, melted away in the wake of his fury.

Goku started to panic. People were coming and they were armed and afraid. Ready to kill anything that moved. He looked down at himself and realized he was still surrounded by his golden aura. Instantly, he powered down, cursing under his breath. What was he supposed to do now? It was all over!

He looked side to side and broke into a run, heading towards where the door was only moments ago, now nothing but liquefied steel now. There was nowhere to go! Frieza's soldiers were closing in, Zarbon at the front of their forces and Goku froze against the remains of the hallway.

_I can run,_ he thought. _I can Instant Transmission away._

Ula's face flashed through his mind and he cursed. He couldn't leave her but he could no longer just take her to wherever he deemed was safe.

"Here sir!" One of the soldiers yelled, stopping right before Goku and the Saiyan could see his shaking knees. The man was terrified, his face sweating and Ki spiking up and down. In moments, he was surrounded by Frieza's men, Dodoria and Zarbon at both sides of the hallway. Their weapons were aimed and ready but the looks on their faces told Goku they knew they stood no chance against him.

Zarbon skidded to a halt right beside Goku and Dodoria was not far behind. Meeting Zarbon's wide, panicked eyes, Goku opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted by one of the men,

"We're lucky you got here first!" The man said, looking at a point beyond Goku, "All of our scouters blew just moments ago!"

Dodoria pushed the Soldier aside, "Oroitz, did you see what it was?"

Goku's mouth hung, jaw slack.

_Wait. What?_


	21. Unsettling Revelations, Frieza's What!

Hi everyone! Finally! At long last! An Update! Sorry I've been gone for the past month and a half but I've had a billion million kajillion things to do. I am however planning to update every two or so days so stay tuned and as always, thank you for staying with me!

And as an extra note, I have decided to change this back into an M rating JUST to be safe.

Anyways, on to Chapter 21 of Dream of Yesterday!

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><p>Wine dripped down Frieza's delicate fingers, small red beads trailing down his wrist and splashing unceremoniously onto the floor but the tyrant ignored the sensation of cascading liquid as well as the small pinpricks of glass against his skin in favor of focusing all his attention onto the computer's screen.<p>

It was undoubtedly broken; there was no other plausible explanation for the numbers flashing across it. Perhaps he would deign to drag his person across the levels to personally have a heart to heart conversation with his engineers. A few 'examples' would prove a potent incentive in making sure those bumbling fools did their jobs correctly and thus save Frieza a cup of precious wine – a much more valuable commodity than their worthless lives.

Yet even thoughts of their horrified faces did not quell the suddenly too familiar sensation of trepidation crawling up Frieza's tail. It made the Tyrant frustrated enough to hiss under his breath, his tail slashing violently through the air behind him. It was the same emotion that coursed through him back on Yerev, when the flames of the planet's core almost proved to be his downfall.

Fear.

It was a feeling supposed to be utterly foreign to someone like him but there it was, settling _too_ comfortably in his stomach for his liking.

He blinked, slowly and with great deliberation, a small hope that when he opened his eyes once more, the screen would say something different but he was disappointed, another wave of anxiety rocketing through his limbs.

Something had rocked the ship to and fro, made the walls vibrate and shorted out a good portion of the ships computers, not to mention completely decimated every scouter in commission on board.

_**400,000,000 GS**_

His hands were trembling. He was a god among mortals, and yet his fingers shook. With staunch determination and part indignation, he wrung his hands together and the shaking stopped.

Frieza's fingers tacked against the keyboard, one hand leaving a trail of red wine in its wake but he paid it no heed. The ship's sensors detected the source of heat coming from the out of commission observatory room beside the medical bay. If memory served correctly, that room was out of commission save for himself and a few other men.

Ignoring the pang of ire that made his lips twitch into a frown, Frieza quickly pulled up the Security Camera logs. Though the Observatory room was in effect, decommissioned, the cameras certainly weren't. If anything other than a minor electrical function in the computers had really occurred, the logs would have access-

Frieza grit his teeth, hand clenching in a fist against the panels when several screens appeared only to show static. Nothing! Every camera in and near the source of the power's location was utterly inaccessible, either destroyed or shorted out.

Where in the hells were Zarbon and Dodoria? His hand flicked up to his scouter, only to realize that it was no longer there, lying broken somewhere in the room. That realization brought another wave of annoyance. Replacing scouters was a long, arduous and costly ordeal, one that Frieza had absolutely no desire to engage in with the upcoming Kold Gala.

This entire _month_ had him beset on all sides by disastrous events, all of which were piling up on Frieza's shoulders and disintegrating his already frazzled nerves. First the loss of the Aureolinium, the utter _humiliation_ of being saved by a lowly soldier and now the destruction of a good number of his electrical equipment?

How was he supposed to present himself at the Gala?

Or to his family?

Cooler's smug face flashed across his vision, those small eyes glinting with amusement at Frieza.

His tail smashed into the floor, leaving a sizable dent but it didn't calm the Icejin at all.

"My lord," Dodoria's muffled voice came through the doors of his quarters and Frieza turned, eyeing his wet hand with disgust. Walking towards the large table resting before the viewshield, Frieza grabbed a napkin and quickly wiped the wine off, grimacing as he did it.

Really, these were not things that were befitting someone of his stature.

"Enter." He commanded after a moment and the doors slid open to reveal Dodoria and Zarbon, followed by the familiar face of Oroitz.

Why would Oroitz be with them?

His Lieutenants bowed, a light bend at the waist which Oroitz did not follow, bowing fully as the lower strata of the soldiers had been taught to do. They looked to the shattered glass on the floor, and then wisely averted their eyes.

Their apprehensive quivering was a small comfort for Frieza, in light of the bone chilling numbers he'd seen on the screen. Whatever it was, had to be dealt with immediately.

"Report." There was a modicum of solace in the knowledge that his voice was calm in spite of the storm of unease raging inside.

"The entire area is demolished, Frieza." Dodoria spoke, shaking his head. "Even the cameras are all wiped out. Melted through the floor too, right down to the docks. We've got massive holes everywhere but most of the important stuff in the Medical Bay is unharmed."

"The source? Have you located it?" Frieza was losing patience. The equipment was one thing, but the origin was vastly more important. However his vexation was further prolonged when Zarbon's green head shook.

Shuffling uncomfortably, Zarbon straightened, still looking straight at Frieza. Dodoria's pudgy hand rose to gesture at the silent soldier behind them, "Oroitz was the only one at the sight though."

The news intrigued Frieza. With a wave, he dismissed the two. He wished to be alone with Oroitz for a few moments. When the door slid shut behind them, Frieza focused his full attention on the interesting little humanoid before him.

Oroitz was silent, eyes downcast and focused on the floor. His mouth was a thin line of something close to contempt but Frieza paid it no heed. It was amusing to be hated by something so much weaker than himself.

Stepping forward, Frieza idly cocked his head to one side and a small slip of a smile formed on his delicate features, "What have you to report?"

There was a pause and a wave of hesitation washed over Oroitz's face, as if he didn't know what to say. Frieza chuckled, circling him slowly, "What did you see? You were there."

"Nothing." Short, clipped answer. It irked Frieza and the jovial mood he had just acquired vanished.

A long pink tail flickered through the air, stopping right beside Oroitz's cheek and Frieza waited for the shock to settle in. A moment passed and not a single muscle moved on that smooth face, as if he had _seen_ Frieza's tail flying towards him but the Tyrant dismissed the notion. "Really?" He drawled out, lowering his tail. "You were at the sight and yet you saw nothing? Pray tell, how _did_ the walls melt? And the cameras all malfunction?"

"I was just walking back from the medical bay-"Oroitz started, but Frieza cut through, "The medical bay is closed. Why where you there?"

"There was an accident." The soldier choked out, black eyes darkening further at some insignificant memory.

"Oh…" Frieza chuckled, "An _accident._ What kind, do tell me."

The muscles in that corded neck bulged and his fists tightened against his sides. Even the skin around his mouth tightened and his mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to form words. "One of my friends…there was a soldier. He had her against the wall."

A female? Ah yes, he remembered. "That female. The healer." Cocking his head to one side, Frieza closed his eyes in an indifferent shrug. It made no difference to him if one of two men, or in this case, _women_ died. Weeding out the weak, so to speak but obviously, one insignificant life mattered much for this man. "Her circumstances are unusual, yes." Frieza nodded, his back to Oroitz, "But that is not of interest to me. If she is weak enough to die, then she reaps what she sows."

There was a choked sound behind him but Frieza paid it no heed. "My patience is stretched to its limits Oroitz. I do not care about you or your friend's plight. You will tell me what I want to know or suffer the…_unpleasant_ consequences." There was a gust of wind generated by Frieza's power rushing to his limbs. The wave was minor but exhilarating. There were oh so few times he ever really allowed himself such a display but it was always refreshing and a great motivator for others.

"I didn't see anything. Just a flash of light and then I was surrounded by soldiers. The walls were already half gone." There wasn't even a hint of a fearful waver in Oroitz's voice.

A muscle twitched in Frieza's tail.

Doubtful he was telling the truth but as far as Frieza knew, he was no brilliant mastermind or even an exceptionally talented tactician. Just brute strength and muscles on legs. No one lied to Frieza. They were incapable of fooling someone such as himself and Oroitz was barely fit to stand before him. He would find out the source of the power soon enough even if he had to pry it out of the man _personally._

"You will be coming with me to the Kold Gala next week."

"What?" The reply was confused, staggered at the change of subject and Frieza sighed in annoyance.

Raising a hand to his ear, Frieza was suddenly irritated, remembering that he no longer had a scouter. He hissed under his breath, annoyed beyond belief that such an error in, what was most likely; the ship's power lines would result in the loss of expensive and indispensible equipment. "You will go to Zarbon," He spoke to Oroitz, tone short, and "I expect you to be ready in three days, Galactic Standard. _Do you understand?"_

Oroitz nodded, "Yes Frieza."

"Then get out of my sight, you incompetent buffoon."

Oroitz bowed quickly and retreated, door sliding closed behind him with a beep. It took a few minutes for the anger to boil away; leaving Frieza was the familiar sense of calculating calm. Despite all these wasteful setbacks…the entire _Universe_ was his. Nothing would, no…nothing _could_ hold him back. There was a small silver lining to the small storm cloud firmly stuck above his horned visage.

Oroitz. That soldier, dim though he may be, was fairly useful. His ability…Instant Transmission would serve Frieza very, _very_ well. Especially for the task Frieza had in mind for his newly acquired minion. A frown formed on Frieza's white face, dark lips turning downwards at the sour thought of the Gala.

Other than his father and brother, there was _one more_ issue he had to deal with. If things went well- which they would- Frieza would not have to waste too much of his precious time handling it but that was a thought for another time. Eyeing the broken remnants of his wine, Frieza sighed.

Sometimes the losses of the most minor of things were the most painful.

* * *

><p>"We need to talk."<p>

That voice was familiar. Goku turned, his tired eyes focusing on the figure before him. Trailing his eyes upwards over the standard medical one piece and white hair, he felt his muscles tense. "Solzt."

The hallway was almost empty, the lights still flickering from Goku's transformation. It lent an eerie effect to Solzt's dripping hair.

"Yeah. What? Hoping I was dead?" Red eyes were barely visible, narrowed into deadly slits. His thin, pale mouth was a line on his face. He looked much like a corpse who lived merely through willpower but his eyes were fierce, fiery and filled to the brim with hatred. A flash of guilt swept through Goku and the memory of the other's faces flickered through his head.

"Solzt, I-" He began, stepping forward but Solzt hissed.

"Don't give me that shit, Oroitz. The entire ship's fucking talking." An ungloved hand slashed through the air. "You-you!" There was an indignant sputter as Solzt tried to express himself, the words jumbled through his fury. "I don't know how you did it, but you were able to get us off that planet before it exploded. You've been lying to all of us this whole time!"

Goku drew back at Solzt's words. They stung him with their accusations but there was no avoiding it now. Everything Solzt said was true. He _was_ lying to them. All along but such a direct confrontation was unexpected. Goku didn't know what to say, words just spun around in his head but none of them would mean anything.

Solzt was walking deliberately to him, slightly crouched and muscles in his arms bulging. The sight of an animal ready to fight and Goku mirrored his stance, bending his knees. The air around them was heating up and Solzt's hair was beginning to lift away from his shoulders. His mouth opened in a vicious snarl, teeth bared and eyes sparking with rage, "You piece of _shit._ Because of you, they're _**dead!**_ You could have saved yourself or you could have just died in the fucking explosion but no. Who did you save? _Frieza and Dodoria._"

"I saved you too…" Goku said weakly but when Solzt dropped his stance, he stepped back in confusion.

"You saved me too." There was a weak chuckle and Solzt's shoulders slumped, hands coming up to cradle his face. "You _saved_ me. Hahahaa…oh god. This is useless. _You're_ useless." One red eye peeked from between white fingers, "Why would you bring me back to this hell?"

It was like a lead weight struck Goku in the chest. His heart thumped painfully against his ribcage, each beat a painful spasm. That was…not what he had been expecting. Solzt was defeated, his stance gone and his battle aura all but extinguished.

"One chance. All of us had this _one_ chance. Frieza would have been dead. It's _your_ fault, Oroitz."

"You think I _wanted_ to save Frieza?" Goku hissed, anger and frustration overriding logic, "I hate him. He's hurt so many people…But I had to."

Solzt's hands dropped and his jaw went slack, "What?"

"I _had_ to. You wouldn't understand."

"Of course I wouldn't fucking understand!" Solzt almost yelled, but his eyes flicked to their surroundings and he lowered his voice to a dark whisper, "What fucking reason would you have to save _him_?" His upper lip curled, "_Tell_ me." Sarcasm dripped from his words.

Drawing his eyes away from the broken warrior, Goku looked aside, down at the darkened floor. "I can't."

A scoff, "Figures. You're just a little bitch aren't you, Oroitz? But you're strong. Much stronger than you let on but you aren't too bright. Everyone can see through you." Solzt shrugged, though Goku couldn't see, "I know I don't stand a chance against you. And I know your secret."

Startled, Goku whipped his head to stare at Solzt's red orbs, filled with dark malice. He knew? How? Goku had never told anyone he was from the past, not even Ula. So how would Solzt-

"So it _was_ you. Down by the old observatory." The undertone of glee was apparent in Solzt's voice as he grinned at Goku. "Like I said earlier, you're pretty damn stupid. You've decommissioned every single scouter on the ship. Everyone's gonna be on watch for whatever that-", he gestured the burnt halls, "Was." Shaking his head, Solzt barked out a bitter laugh, "You might be even strong enough to take down Frieza, but you won't, will you? Not even for our dead team?"

Goku didn't answer. He simply looked down, grief and regret overwhelming him. He _couldn't_ answer. Nothing he could say would ever make any of this right. Why everyone had to suffer, why Frieza had to live, why their friends had to die, why Ula had to get raped, why Solzt's had to continue living. Why he couldn't protect any of them. "I would have saved them if I could." Meeting Solzt's eyes, he repeated, "I _would have saved them."_

"No choice?" Solzt asked in a soft voice, sounding shattered, the words cracking.

Goku shook his head slowly, hands tight at his sides.

Solzt nodded, turning away. The lights were no longer working in the distance and just before he disappeared in the blackness, Solzt turned his pale head, glittering eyes barely visible in the darkness. "I'll remember this. I won't let you forget it either." Then he strode away, leaving Goku alone in the flickering hallway.

Leaning against the yellow metallic walls, Goku slid down to the floor and stared blankly at a random spot in the distance. Solzt's last words rung in his head and he laughed quietly, almost a sob.

How could he ever forget?

* * *

><p>Zarbon was unusually fidgety. Enough that even the soldiers he was monitoring would glance at him ever so often only to be put back into place with a dark glare. As a person who prided himself on his appearance, fidgeting and twitchy, jerky movements annoyed Zarbon. However, he couldn't help it. The entire business with the observatory had him on edge and if he knew Frieza as well as he did, the tyrant was probably itching with paranoia. For all the power he had in the world, Frieza was just as brittle as the rest of them but Zarbon didn't believe for a second that the Icejin would ever admit it, even to himself. For the rest of them, it was an entirely different matter. He hadn't seen <em>all<em> the numbers on the screen, but he _had_ seen an alarming amount of zeros and from the sight of Frieza's shattered glass, they were abundant enough to worry even the cold tyrant.

And if something gave Frieza cause to worry, it made Zarbon fidget with anxiety so when Oroitz's voice sounded behind him, he nearly jumped out of his cape. Quickly gathering himself, Zarbon turned with what he was sure was a calm and collected visage, "Oroitz." Running his eyes down the man's face and body, Zarbon frowned.

He looked worn. His armor was in tip top shape, even the golden straps of his armor gleamed like it was brand new but his face….It was pale and his dark eyes were dull, mouth set in a grim line. "Zarbon," Oroitz began, "F-Lord Frieza told me to report to you about the Gala."

That was an interesting bit of news Zarbon was unprepared for. Viridian brows skyrocketed into his hairline, "You're coming?"

Oroitz nodded, eyes still dull and dark. For a moment, Zarbon wanted to ask what happened but the man had just come from Frieza. It was self explanatory. He had been on the receiving end of that treatment for so long sometimes Zarbon wondered whether his previous life was just all a dream. Only his jewelry remained as a memory of his home but he pushed those thoughts aside to focus on Oroitz.

"I wouldn't have though that Lord Frieza would assign you to _that_ task." Zarbon pondered aloud, eyeing the shifting man. When Oroitz didn't respond, Zarbon frowned. Nodding his head towards the door, he gestured for them to leave. Once they were out in the almost deserted hallway, he placed a hand on a corded shoulder, "Would you like to go to the cafeteria?"

Oroitz perked up a little, head jerking upwards. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, a large growl erupted from his stomach and Zarbon rolled his eyes, "Predictable. Now, do you want to know what you'll be doing for the Gala?"

The prospect of food had obviously lightened Oroitz's previously dark mood and he nodded, commenting, "I don't think Frieza chose me for my brains." He cocked his head to one side, as if trying to weigh his head.

Resisting the urge to sigh in exasperation, Zarbon settled with a snide response, "What brains?" He expected a subversive glare in response to the insult but when Oroitz let out a small laugh, Zarbon couldn't help mirroring it.

"Nice hair." Oroitz shot after a moment, eyes quickly raking over Zarbon's hideous haircut.

Now _he_ was the one shooting a boiling glare at Oroitz, "Shut up. I still remember being your superior officer and we do not _have_ to go to the cafeteria."

"Sorry! I meant it, really! Now what am I supposed to do for the Gala? What _is _the Gala anyways?"

With a long groan from Zarbon, punctuated by Oroitz's excited gasp at seeing the Cafeteria doors, the two pushed their way inside the empty room. It was only a few minutes later that Oroitz had piled enough rations to feed ten armies on his tray and was ravenously devouring the disgusting meal.

Zarbon felt nauseous and tilted his head back in an attempt to stop whatever was climbing up his stomach and into his throat but it was difficult, the sounds and smells bombarding his senses like gunfire. When he was able to compose himself, Zarbon pointedly looked away, "The Gala…Oh god Oroitz how can you _eat_ that? Can't you smell the…never mind."

While the Saiyan indiscriminately shoveled food in his mouth like a black hole, Zarbon continued, "The Gala is held every five years. The Gala is actually short for The Intergalactic Kold Gala and obviously, it's held by the Kold family. You know the youngest son, Lord Frieza but also in attendance will be King Kold and Prince Cooler, Frieza's father and brother respectively."

"What's this about the Gala?" Dodoria's voice suddenly chimed in and both Zarbon and Oroitz turned their heads to see the pink lieutenant sit down at their table, "Zarbon, "he nodded and then looked at Oroitz. From the look of disbelief washing across his tubby face, Zarbon could tell his companion was also feeling overwhelmed at the sight of Oroitz swallowing food like a vacuum."From the way he eats, you'd think Oroitz was a Saiyan or something huh?" Dodoria commented, raising a ridge at the soldier.

Zarbon knew better than to react. He had trained years in Frieza's army and had risen the ranks to be Frieza's right hand man. He would not give _any_ indication that would lead Dodoria to doubt or check Oroitz's blood tests or even his own suspicions. So when Dodoria remarked on Oroitz's eating, Zarbon rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, throwing a look at the eating soldier. He regretted it an instant later when he stomached churned in punishment.

Oroitz however, was a completely different matter. It was brief, a little longer than a flash but painfully, _painfully_ obvious when his spine stiffened. His black eyes had darted up quickly and his mouth slowed, hand pausing at some unknown piece of meat on his tray. Then it was gone, Oroitz was laughing (somehow) and raking food into his mouth like everything was normal.

But it wasn't.

Dodoria was also intelligent, if a bit short tempered and the questioning –accusatory- look he shot Zarbon had the green skinned beauty combing through possible excuses; anything to say to defuse the situation. Silence reigned, an awkward weight over all their shoulders, made no less annoying by Oroitz's incessant and manner-less chewing.

Zarbon quashed the urge to kick the man under the table.

"Zarbon." Dodoria breathed, eyes moving slowly from Oroitz to Zarbon. "Are you…not telling me something?"

"Later, Dodoria. Lord Frieza has assigned Oroitz…_that_ task." Hopefully, the change of subject would urge the Pink skinned alien to drop the matter. At least for the moment.

Dodoria stared at him for a moment longer and thankfully chose to say nothing more. He looked back at Oroitz, who was on his last pieces of...god knows what that was and said, "You serious? _Him?_" He pointed at Oroitz, who was much more talkative once his stomach was full,

"I don't get it. What am I supposed to be doing?" He asked, chewing almost thoughtfully and staring at them both.

Dodoria and Zarbon exchanged a doubtful look between each other, the former shrugging and turning back to the Saiyan, "What do you know about the Gala?"

Oroitz's eyes trailed to the ceiling, as if deep in thought and Zarbon desperately hoped that the idiot had at least listened to _some_ of what he had said earlier.

"I know the Kold Family is in charge, but nothing else. What's the Gala for?" Oroitz finally said, fixing Dodoria with a questioning look.

Dodoria leaned forward, "Well you know that we wipe out planets and sell them right? So this Gala is a massive intergalactic event with most, if not all of Kold's biggest buyers attending. Everyone who is anyone in the Galaxy is going to be there, including potential investors."

Oroitz frowned, "Then why am I going?"

"I'll get there in a moment." Dodoria almost barked, "Eat your damn greens."

"But I don't like-"

"Oroitz." Zarbon interrupted and nodded to Dodoria to continue, shrugging when his comrade glared.

Dodoria huffed, folding his arms. "Anyways. There's lots of entertainment, slave tournaments, drinking, prostitues and the like but mostly it's a way to get the Kold family more alliances and business. Even the Ginyu Force is attending as bodyguards. You know who they are right?"

A strangely dark look overtook Oroitz's face and his mouth turned downwards in a sharp scowl. However, it was gone so quickly that even Zarbon, for all his abilities to keenly observe every detail, thought it might have been an illusion. A trick of the light, so to speak.

"I've….heard of them. Lead by Captain Ginyu right?"

Dodoria laughed, dark lips spreading in an amused grin, "Haha, so you aren't as dumb as you look. Thought your ponytail was on a bit too tight there for a sec. Yeah. They're going to be there to make sure no one tries anything stupid. Usually the bigwigs bring along their own bodyguards but they've got their own rivalries among the business. A gala is usually a good opportunity to try to off the competition. If that happens, it won't look too good for the Kold Family so extra precautions are taken."

"There's only _one_ problem." Zarbon pitched in, content with Dodoria's explanation, "_Kuriza."_

Oroitz's brow scrunched up in thought, as if trying to remember where he had heard that name. After a few moments though, he looked up, confused, "Who?"

Zarbon sighed, holding up a hand when Dodoria looked like he was going to explain, "Kuriza is another member of the Kold Family. Specifically, he's Lord Frieza's _son._"

Oroitz looked _exactly_ as Zarbon predicted he would, like a sucker punch to the gut had knocked out all the wind inside his body. For a moment it looked like Oroitz would choke on whatever he had been trying to swallow but Zarbon waited; the Saiyan coughed and hacked until he wheezed out a confused, "What?"

Dodoria nodded, lowering his voice to a whisper even though there was nobody there, "Kuriza is like a public secret. Everyone knows about it, except for you of course, but no one talks." He paused there, swallowing, "It's not exactly a subject people are…encouraged to comment on."

Oroitz raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

With a long exhale, Zarbon combed his delicate fingers through his unflattering cut, "Kuriza…There is no way to put this delicately; Kuriza is a problem for Lord Frieza." It was uncomfortable even for Zarbon to mention Kuriza's name and he shifted in his seat, looking only to see Dodoria mirror his discomfort. If only he were as oblivious as Oroitz, the man not even looking the slightest bit discomposed at the mention, Zarbon wouldn't have to feel as if the walls were watching him.

Oroitz waited a moment, staring straight at Zarbon before asking, "Why is he a problem?"

"He's weak." Dodoria said before Zarbon opened his mouth. It was said in a quick exhale, as if Dodoria wanted to get it out as quickly as possible and Zarbon was inclined to agree with his methods. The faster they talked about this, the faster he could shed this irritating paranoia that was making his palms sweat.

Distantly, he was somewhat glad that the strange power burst had broken his scouter.

"…Weak? How?"

Zarbon groaned. Couldn't Oroitz just accept their explanation at face value? Why must they continue this dangerous conversation? "His power level," He hissed quickly, "it's…almost _defective."_

"Zarbon!" There was a shrill whisper from Dodoria who was glancing around as if he were going to be set upon by Frieza's wrath. He looked at Oroitz, "Listen. We can't say more about it but the general gist of it is, you," He pointed at Oroitz, "Are going to be Kuriza's bodyguard for the event."

Oroitz choked, "What? Why me? Didn't you say the Ginyu Force was going to be there?"

"The Ginyu force will be protecting Frieza's investors and buyers. It's _your_ task to escort Kuriza wherever he needs to go before the Gala."Dodoria explained hastily, exasperated by Oroitz's incessant questions. "We will be heading towards Frieza Planet #82 in Quadrant 3-A in a little less than three days. Once we arrive, there will still be about four days until the Gala actually commences. You'll be in charge of Kuriza's safety." He held up his hand when Oroitz opened his mouth, "No more questions. Do you understand what you need to do?"

Oroitz closed his mouth, nodding. His eyes were narrowed in confusion, head tilted downwards at his plate. His hands were on both sides of the tray, gloves somehow spotless despite the mess the rest of the table was in. Finally, after a few moments of silence and Zarbon mentally pleading Oroitz understand, the pony-tailed man looked up, "Got it. Thanks."

There was a dual sigh of relief from Dodoria and Zarbon and it felt as if a massive weight had just lifted off their shoulders. With a heave, Dodoria stood up, "Zarbon. I believe you have something to explain to me?"

Oroitz stiffened again and Zarbon almost groaned before lifting himself out of his seat. Shooting Oroitz a warning look, he sighed when the man relaxed. Albeit with wary eyes. Nodding at Dodoria, Zarbon followed his companion out and left Oroitz alone in the cafeteria. Ever _after_ that conversation it felt as if he needed a shower to wash out the feeling of cold sweat and fear. Desperately he hoped that Dodoria would just let this one go but Zarbon knew he wouldn't.

"So how long did you know he was a Saiyan and how long were you planning on not _telling anyone?_" Dodoria asked mildly, a small, patient smile plastered on his small face.

This time, Zarbon did groan and was immeasurably relieved there was barely anyone on the ship for _that_ conversation.

He had a _lot_ of explaining to do.


	22. Playtime! The Tournament!

Hi everyone! Back with another chapter! As always, thank you for reading!

Onto Chapter 22 of Dream of Yesterday!

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><p>Goku was not excited about the Gala. He was even less thrilled at the prospect of being a bodyguard for what he imagined would be a mini-Frieza look alike, complete with black horns and vicious, bloodthirsty red eyes. It was already a stretch of his imagination to try and think what a female Icejin would look like but obviously his mother had to have been one. Unless they were all like Piccolo.<p>

And...That was disturbing. Goku stopped that train of thought before his breakfast made a guest appearance.

It was a small comfort, at least, to know that Kuriza was supposedly far weaker than his family members. It also explained why there had never been any other Icejin past Cooler and King Kold to come and attempt to exact revenge. He felt his chest seize up at the mention of Cooler. Sure he remembered the bastard –the way he had almost blasted Piccolo into oblivion- and how he'd tried to get rid of the planet just like his brother in a bid to win. With an uncharacteristically wry chuckle, Goku thought it probably ran in the family.

Glancing around the bunks, he checked to make sure he hadn't left anything behind. Not that he really _had_ anything to leave behind but years of living with Chichi sure beat some things into you before you realize it. So he checked under the mattress and smoothed over the covers. Satisfied that his communicator was tucked safely into his boot, ID card was pinned to his shiny, new armor and hair looking neat as could be, Goku headed towards the elevators. With the Gala looming a little less than one Galactic week (not to mention the extensive amount of repairs needed to fix the damage Goku had done to the hallways), the amount of personnel on Frieza's ship had almost doubled and Goku had to push and shove through the hallways, earning him a few deadly glares from some of the shorter aliens.

With an apologetic smile, Goku continued, his senses on keen alert for any signatures he recognized. Even someone _without_ Ki sensing capabilities would have enough brains to realize the Prince of Saiyans was on board. And…heading straight towards the elevators Goku was. No wonder Goku's side of the hallway was so densely packed. The rest of the soldiers on Frieza's ship steered very, very clear of Vegeta's path.

Goku sighed, dodging a large beast like humanoid carrying steel rods, lucky him.

Unfortunately, the other elevator was in the opposite direction and Goku simply didn't have enough time. He would just have to keep his head down and hope Radditz hadn't inherited the brains of the family. Could Saiyans smell other Saiyans? Nerse and the others hadn't commented back when he first landed on Vegeta so he was safe in that regard. For the first time in a long time, Goku was glad he didn't have his tail.

In the distance, he could see Vegeta's spiky hair over the crowd. The others around him saw as well and within a few moments of being within several meters of the elevators, Goku was no longer pushing his way through. Nappa and Radditz were with the little Prince of course, looking just as menacing as their leader and Goku sighed.

Vegeta looked less thin than the last time Goku had seen him, the pronounced dip between his hips and knees gone. He didn't look healthy by any means but at least he looked one level above starved. For that, Goku was relieved. Vegeta had always been a bit of a masochist. He liked taking the hard road to his goals no matter the cost but sometimes, the hard road wasn't the right one. Saiyans grew stronger when they were at the brink of death, beaten, starved or anything else. There was no doubt in Goku's mind that Vegeta was desperately trying to rack up strength but it was still so pitifully low, almost a bad joke.

Not that any of the other aliens on board the ship (save Frieza) had any power levels worth noting but Goku had known Vegeta for a long time. Ever since he had first met the Prince on Earth, he had been a worthy and powerful opponent. Even when Goku had surpassed him in power, much to Vegeta's irritation, he had still been worthy. It was a totally different matter right now. The Vegeta standing in front of him looked like a hollow husk. Nappa and Radditz were little different. The large Saiyan's muscles bulged threateningly but he was still thin and Radditz's hair was coarse, his visage desperately hungry.

Frieza cared for Vegeta like one would care for a pet that they pitied so Vegeta's life was in no real danger. The other two however…Frieza could care less about. Goku didn't even really know _why_ Frieza kept those two around. Maybe to taunt them? That didn't seem too out of character for Frieza, in any case.

Goku's thoughts were broken when the elevator doors opened and Vegeta stepped in, his comrades following him inside. The others who had been waiting for the elevator hesitated, unwilling to step in with the volatile Saiyan but Goku had no choice. He had to be at the docking gate within the next five or so minutes or Zarbon would have his head. So taking a deep breath, Goku stepped behind Radditz but just before he entered, Nappa's voice interrupted him,

"Where do you think you're going?"

Goku glanced around him; the hallway had gone entirely silent. "Down to the docks?" He offered, tilting his head. He wasn't threatened, definitely not by Nappa. The man had barely been a fight when Goku himself had been weaker. He was all bark and no bite. "I'm going to be late."

"Take another elevator." The large man growled, standing before Goku with his arms crossed.

"I can't." Goku explained, gesturing towards the hallway. "If I use another elevator I won't make it in time. Can't you be nice this once? Pretty please?"

The plea didn't seem to placate Nappa at all and Radditz chuckled in the background. The rest of the others around Goku didn't share Radditz's humor, tense silence settling on them as they watched the exchange. It was common knowledge that no one crossed Vegeta without receiving appropriate retribution in response. Just as it looked like Nappa was raising an arm to deal said retribution, Vegeta stepped forward, dark eyes combing Goku's face.

"You." He said with certainty and a glare had Nappa backing down like a beaten dog.

Radditz did not chuckle this time.

"Me?" Goku rubbed the back of his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Get in." The prince commanded, motioning to the elevator.

Not wanting to waste time and possible anger the Saiyan, Goku shrugged submissively and stepped in, situating himself at the back of the elevator with a sense of unease. He didn't like the feeling and the others outside didn't help. Gazes of mixed pity and disquiet sent him on his way. The doors closed on them, almost like it was trapping Goku with three starving and vicious dogs, their gazes boring into him both accusatory and filled with bitter hatred. Goku knew he wasn't the cause, but he couldn't help but shrink just a little.

"You were at the sight of the explosion." Vegeta said and realization dawned on both Nappa's and Radditz's faces and their beastly stares adopted a hint of curiosity. Suddenly, they were no longer passive and for the first time, Radditz spoke,

"What happened? What did you see?"

Vegeta shot him an angry glare, mouth draw into a thin line and Radditz shut his mouth, staring down. He focused his attention on Goku and his gaze felt like livewire on his skin.

Why was this elevator taking so long?

"I-" Goku began, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. Quickly, he glanced at the doors but they were still firmly closed and the telltale whirring of the gears told him he was nowhere near the docks. Even then there were still three spiteful Saiyans blocking his way. "I was walking back from the medical bay. Just as I passed the closed observatory, the entire place rocked. There was a flash of light and… " Quickly, what could he make up? "I was slammed against the wall. When I came to, nearly all the walls were gone and the floors melted away." Sighing, he pushed Ula's face out of his mind. She had been strangely distant since the event, a glazed look in her eyes and he regretted his assignment with Frieza. "My scouter was gone too."

"So it's true then," Nappa said, glancing at their scouters, "The only scouters on board the ship are the ones we brought in."

Radditz and Nappa seemed placated; Goku's explanation enough of an answer for them but Vegeta was not satisfied. His eyes burned into Goku, staring the younger Saiyan down and every line on his face said that he didn't believe a word Goku uttered. Or maybe he didn't want to. Poisonous hatred blazed but there was something different there too. It was a certain intensity that pressured Goku and he found himself eager to get out. He just didn't like the way Vegeta was looking at him, but looking beyond him at the same time.

So when the doors opened, Goku nearly pushed aside the shorter man in his haste to leave. It felt like a weight had lifted off his chest and he could finally _breathe_ again. The ride had barely lasted a minute but it felt like he had been in there for hours.

"Oroitz."

Goku stiffened in his tracks, aware that he looked like a scared animal. Turning his head, he smiled weakly, "Yeah, Vegeta?"

Vegeta had stepped off as well, with Nappa and Radditz behind him. "I'll remember you." His eyes slowly and deliberately glanced at Goku's ID, mouth twitching upwards in recognition of Goku's discomfort.

Goku laughed awkwardly and sped off, desperate to remove himself from Vegeta's presence. He had no time to lose anyways. If he knew Zarbon and Dodoria, they were already wringing their hands waiting for him. Shame he wasn't allowed to Instant Transmission himself there. He winced, remembering Dodoria's sudden revelation. Without a doubt, Goku knew, that the pink lieutenant had inadvertently found out.

That he was a Saiyan.

So that made him, Zarbon and Dodoria that knew. Not that he ever _talked_ about it or anything with Zarbon but he'd just assumed the man would keep it a secret. The more he thought about it though, the more unfounded that assumption seemed. He cringed, slowing down to a medium paced walk. First his team, then Zarbon, Solzt and now Dodoria?

With luck, Dodoria won't mention it to Frieza or Zarbon might intervene. He was already under tight scrutiny as it was.

Even at his moderately slow pace, Goku made it in time. The docking gates were barely opening and the ship that would take them down to the planet still being attached to the extended walkway. Dodoria and Zarbon were already there, the latter shouting orders at the myriad of soldiers carrying boxes and crates inside. Sidestepping a particularly short alien, Goku ducked another one and jogged to the pair. "Hi."

They turned to him, Zarbon offering a light nod while Dodoria stared at him in a way that made the hairs on Goku's neck stand up. He pretended not to notice it, smiling instead and cocking his head. "I'm not late am I?"

Dodoria shook his head, pointing one chubby hand to the walkway, "Nah. You're on time but if you don't get on the ship now, Frieza will have our heads."

Goku nodded and turned to leave but Dodoria's voice rang out behind him, "Oroitz. Where are you from?"

"Ah, to be honest…" Goku started, grinning, "I don't remember. Why?" He hoped his smiles could mask the sensation of sweat slowly dripping down his brow. He was in hot water, so to speak, and Dodoria's eyes were skeptically dissecting him. A tense moment passed and Goku tried to relax, his heart thumping against his ribcage. Just as he thought it was over Dodoria relented, the agitated look in his eyes abating to give way to irritated nonchalance. He waved a hang in Goku's direction, turning back to the soldiers that were standing around waiting for orders.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Goku's shoulders slumped and he turned to speed off into the walkway. He didn't notice Zarbon's relieved gaze boring into his back, the taller Lieutenant rolling his eyes in exasperation before turning to aid Dodoria. Entering his ID number into the pad at the door, Goku stepped in when it opened. Unsurprised to see the interior of the ship look eerily similar to the rest of the ships in Frieza's command, he headed straight for the control room as he had been instructed.

Frieza's energy pervaded his senses, telling Goku that the tyrant was already on board and feeling more edgy than usual. Reaching the doors to the control room, Goku breathed deeply and stepped in, "My Lord-"

"Yes, yes." Frieza glanced at him momentarily before ignoring him in favor of examining the star chart laid out on the computer screen before him.

It was a bit awkward, just standing there while the others scurried around him and Goku couldn't contain a sigh of annoyance.

"Is there something bothering you, Oroitz?" Frieza's voice made Goku's spine stiffen.

"No."

"Then I would implore you _not_ to stand there like a simpleton." Frieza left the panels, his hover-chair coming to float beside Goku. Red eyes bored into dark ones and the tyrant looked him over, eye twitching in annoyance when he looked over Goku's hairstyle -considered absurd by many of the species on-board- to trail down the new armor all the way down to his boots. "I see you've been clothed." Frieza chuckled wryly, like it was a joke but his humor quickly died. "I assume you've been briefed on your task?"

Goku nodded.

"Good. Ah, Zarbon. Dodoria. Are all the preparations ready?" Frieza's head turned towards the door, where his two lieutenants had stepped in.

"Yes my Lord. Everything is ready." Zarbon bowed lightly when entering, Dodoria mirroring his gesture before straightening up.

"Then let us waste no more time. " Frieza's horned head turned towards one of the ship's navigators, his ice gaze making the man shiver in his boots. Goku noted, with distaste, that the tyrant took a moment to savor the man's fear before ordering, "Initiate launching sequence, if you would."

"Y-yes Lord Frieza! Initiating Launching sequence! T minus Ten until launch!"

Goku shared an apprehensive gaze with Zarbon, the Lieutenant meeting his eyes with a blank face before turning to look at the screens. Rubbing his head, Goku frowned at the steadily increasing size of the planet they were about to land on. Thirty minutes, was it? Thirty minutes until he would have to play body guard for the son of one of the worst tyrants in the history of the Galaxy.

Slowly, the universe was starting to teach Goku the sense of irony. Wonderful, he thought wryly.

* * *

><p>Frieza tapped his tail against the floor expectantly. He knew it wasn't <em>hot<em>, technically, but he was feeling unusually warm. That agitated him. His hands were behind his back, clasped together and fingers interlocked as he canvassed the creature standing before him.

It was an Icejin, shorter than even Frieza himself, coming up to the tyrant's hips. It looked very much like him, from the tips of his toes down to the similar plating on his head. Even if the child did not have horns, there was little doubt as to whose blood ran inside his cold veins. The child was standing stiff, eyes wavering but meeting Frieza's in a mock display of bravery.

Frowning, Frieza stepped forward. "Kuriza."

"Papa," Kuriza replied softly, "Welcome back."

Frieza didn't respond, his tail still tapping a rhythm on the floor. A few moments of unusual silence passed, the taller Icejin's mouth firmly closed. He watched Kuriza fidget for a few moments, the boy's tail twitching incessantly behind him. "Control yourself. I'm disappointed."

Kuriza flinched and with what looked like conscious effort, he brought his tail down to rest against the floor.

"I do not hear promising news of you, Kuriza." Was this really his offspring? This…weak creature that cowered under his gaze? He was a Kold, a member of one of the most illustrious families in the entire Universe and yet…Frieza could hardly tell it. Yes, the boy _looked_ like him but he was…defective. Weak. _Scandalously weak_. Should another Icejin get it in their mind to do so, they could easily be rid of the child.

Of course no one would _dare_ touch Kuriza, but it was the principle of the matter and Frieza was irritated that something so pitiful could come from him. The mother had been…dealt with a long time ago, a similar failure of an Icejin herself. A coupling of necessity, a blot on his past. It was undoubtedly her fault that the Frieza's powerful blood was so watered down in Kuriza and even _then,_ the presence of his superior blood was the only thing keeping the boy alive. Frieza felt his mouth twitching even further downwards, his already irritated mood spiraling down into sheer anger.

"You are my…son." Frieza almost choked on the word, looking down at Kuriza, "And yet you behave like a common animal. Do you understand the humiliation you bring upon this family when you fall under the foot of another Icejin in combat training? Or when I receive reports of your constant, almost _vigilant_, failures in your studies?"

"But…Papa, I-!"

"Do not interrupt me when I speaking!" Frieza hissed, "You are to be my successor, one day in the far future. You will rule untold amounts of civilizations, hold their lives in the palm of your hand but should you be too weak to crush them…You will be crushed instead. See to it that you are the former." Frieza paused, letting his words sink in before issuing his final judgment, "As it stands, I cannot let you attend the Gala in the state you are in."

Kuriza hung his head, "Yes Papa."

Frieza's tail slammed into the ground and Kuriza almost jumped, eyes widening in fear and chin trembling. His tail twitched again and Frieza felt anger boiling in his stomach, "Do not lower your head! Does even pride elude you? Have you learned _nothing_?"

Raising his head, Kuriza met Frieza's gaze with his own red ones but the Icejin could not ignore the way the child's hands shook ever so slightly, despite his attempts to hide them. Disappointment speared through him at the sight, the thought that such a…damaged thing might come from _his_ loins. Deficient and inept in his classes, in intelligence and in strength. The boy was a hunched, frail looking thing, despite his noble and great heritage. A Kold at that. Kuriza was little more than an animal to him, if only for the blood that coursed through him.

Turning away from him, Frieza spoke calmly, eyes on the door he entered from, "You will be under supervision for exactly six days. Until the Gala has concluded, you are to behave or suffer the consequences. I will not have the Kold name sullied. Am I understood?"

Kuriza hesitated and Frieza's hands clenched behind his back, "_Am. I._ _**Understood?**_"

"Yes Papa." The answer was quick and thin, an undertone of badly hidden apprehension lacing the words but Frieza ignored it.

He needn't waste his patience and time on someone who so obviously did not deserve it. Mistakenly, he had believed that this year would prove better than the rest. That maybe Kuriza would have miraculously gained some strength or backbone in his absence but it proved to be futile. Frieza rarely declared something hopeless, especially if he was in control of it but this was pushing even _his_ limits.

There was a knock on the door.

"You may enter." Frieza called out, pleased for once, to see Oroitz's familiar frame entering. "Oroitz," He greeted, a smile gracing his dark lips as he regarded the soldier. "I see they have outfitted you with a new Scouter."

Oroitz fingered the device sitting over his eye, nodding in agreement. His dark eyes flicked to Kuriza, widening before coming back to rest on Frieza's face.

"I did not expect you to find your way back so soon, well done." He complimented, enjoying the look of momentary bewilderment on Oroitz's smooth face. "In fact, you are just on time. To the main entrance, if you would. Then you may return here." Turning a red eye to Kuriza, who twitched under his gaze, Frieza waved a slender hand at him. "Kuriza, you are to remain here until Oroitz returns."

"Yes Papa." Repetitive, droning.

Submissive.

Frieza refused to let it affect him. Instead, he stepped towards Oroitz, whose eyes were almost boring into Frieza's face in a very weak attempt to hide his ravenous curiosity. It was amusing for a moment, until he remembered that his brother and father were waiting for him to continue their discussions of the shares. Ignoring the heat, Frieza's tail came forward to wrap about Oroitz's booted ankle. With a wave of permission, he waited for Oroitz to place his fingers on his forehead.

He did not look at Kuriza when they flickered away.

* * *

><p>Goku looked at Kuriza when he flickered back into the room, eyes glancing over the Icejin's slight frame and marveling at the almost copy-paste quality of genetics. All that were missing were the black horns, a small bump on the head plate replacing them instead. The nose was different too; flatter, close to Kuriza's face. Other than those two different, discernable traits, he was an eerie echo of Frieza.<p>

There was no doubt whose this child was. Except…

Tension seized Goku, locking his limbs into place, sure that his senses were fooling him. A moment later, his doubt cleared, understanding dawning. That was what Dodoria and Zarbon had been so afraid to talk about. The pressure almost eased away, washing down his arms like water but those _eyes_. They were dark, filled to the brim with raw malice. They were Frieza's eyes.

Kuriza was looking at him, hands crossed in front of his small body. For all the fact that he barely reached Goku's hips, he looked like he sat atop the Universe. "Your name is Oroitz?"

Goku nodded, his lips stretching into a tight smile, "Nice to meet you Ku-"

"_Prince_ Kuriza," the boy interrupted, unfolding his arms and circling Goku, "You're my guard?" He glanced at Goku's ID, blood red –almost black- lips twitching downwards in a scowl. "15,000? I could kill you. Why would Papa place _you_ as my bodyguard?"

Floundering for a moment, Goku managed a small laugh. "Instant Transmission. It's-"

"I'm assuming it's the technique you just did?" Kuriza interrupted again, waving Goku's explanation off like it was nothing. "I'm not interested in the details so spare me your sparse vocabulary." Kuriza chuckled, "I'll be sure to use simpler words for you."

He couldn't help but bristle at the insult. Sure he wasn't the brightest bulb but he was by no means a complete dimwit and when Kuriza laughed, a low, vicious sound at him for flinching, it was like there was _salt_ being rubbed in his wounds.

"Nothing to say?" The Icejin taunted, floating in the air, face to face with Goku. "I'm not surprised." He sighed, "Let's not waste time." Tilting his rather large head backwards, Kuriza regarded Goku with a grin, "What should I make you do for your first task?" Snapping his fingers, the small prince's eyes lit up, "Get me ice-cream. Double chocolate fudge with strawberries!"

"Um," Goku began, looking side to side sheepishly, "I don't know where the kitchen is."

"That's not my problem is it?" Kuriza giggled, looking pleased with himself before turning an irritated eye to Goku, "Quickly, you're wasting my time! If you're not here in five minutes with my ice-cream, expect my father to find out about your incompetence! _Then_ what will happen?"

Goku frowned, resisting the urge to glare at the Icejin. The boy seemed pleased with the threats he dished out in his father's name but the Saiyan wasn't disturbed in the least. Invoking Frieza's name did little, but the thought of Ice cream (though it was _highly_ unlikely he would be getting some), perked up his mood and so he searched the castle like structure they were in, locating a large mass of what he assumed were servants.

Flickering away, he landed on soft carpet, catching one blond, humanoid female that had jumped in shock. He barely managed to grab a hold of the jug she was carrying before it spilled onto the rather expensive looking rugs and helped her regain her balance before stepping away.

She thanked him shakily, exchanging a curious but apprehensive look with one of the other maids who looked too scared to approach him, hanging in the back with the other similarly bewildered servants.

Raising his hands to signal that he meant them no harm, Goku smiled at the young blond one he had caught moments before, "Do you know where the kitchen is?"

One set of directions and a few minutes later, Goku found himself in a kitchen that was the size of Capsule Corp. He took a few moments to marvel at the sheer grandeur of it, the large, dramatic drapery…the gargantuan tables and seemingly _miles and miles_ of food! Oh Kami, the smells! It was like a dream come true! There were meats and greens and different colored fruits all piled high on large plates, each that looked a fortune to buy. People ran about their jobs, humanoids of species that Goku had never seen. Goku's stomach growled loudly, earning him a cross glare from some of the workers and he grinned awkwardly in apology, eyes still glued to the food.

Despite the rather offsetting tone of the cooks, Goku ambled towards the nearest one. It was a pudgy blue man that looked quite a bit like Dodoria, save he had long dark blue hair that fell down his back in a braid.

"What do you want?" He asked, not even bothering to look Goku's way. In his hands he had a massive knife, gleaming silver and speckled with the blood of the meat he was chopping away into. With vigor, he brought the knife down again, slamming it into the meat and there was a grim look of satisfaction when the meat split underneath. His imagination was obviously supplying him with a completely different image than what Goku was seeing.

Not at all unnerved by the display of butchery, Goku didn't even seem to notice the show. Instead he smiled politely, one hand on his stomach and asked, "I was sent by Prince Kuriza to get him a double chocolate ice-cream with strawberries."

The entire kitchen seemed to quiet at his words and Goku looked around, unsure whether he had said something wrong. The butcher's blue face took on a darker shade and his eyes widened to the size of saucer plates, "Why didn't you say something? You heard the man, Double Chocolate with strawberries!"

The cooks scrambled off in different directions, too many people for just _one_ ice-cream. Irrational hope lit up in Goku's stomach that perhaps he would also be getting a piece. However, his hopes were unfounded when those same cooks came back with just one elaborate looking glass cup and a tub of chocolate ice cream and a basket of the biggest, reddest strawberries Goku had ever seen.

He almost whined when he watched them make it, piling those delicious strawberries on top.

"Here, it's done." One of the cooks, a small green toad-like thing, handed him the cold glass. "Now go! We have a lot of work to do here! The Gala is less than two days away and we're out of the damn Dragontears! " The toad shooed Goku off, giving him a spoon just as he placed his fingers on his forehead before turning and screaming to one of the frightened chefs, "Send someone out to the forest!"

"Thank you!" Goku managed a smile, desperately trying to keep his eyes _off_ the vast array of food being carted around him. Too bad he couldn't cut off his sense of smell either. Locking onto Kuriza's energy, he flickered away, landing just before the startled Icejin.

For a moment, it looked like Kuriza was floundering but he hid his surprise, an annoyed look crossing his features, "You're late." Glancing at the ice cream, Kuriza looked sharply at Goku. "You better not have eaten any of it."

Goku's stomach growled in response.

Kuriza grabbed the glass from him, moving to sit at the large desk that took up quite a big portion of his room. It was very neat, Goku noticed, various data pads and papers all arranged in an orderly manner. Even the keyboard before the large computer was meticulously clean, almost no sign of it being used other than the small discoloration. Now that he looked at it, Kuriza's entire room looked spotless.

Goku looked at the metal flood underneath his boots. Clean. The walls too, the shelves that lined them all looked new. There were even a few books here and there, which were strange, considering that paper was almost completely unused in space. They were probably novelty items. Next, Goku turned his attention to the comically oversized bed sitting almost smack dab in the center.

As a person who had grown up in the forest with his grandfather and continued to live in what most people considered a glorified hovel, Goku supposed that he ought to have liked expensive things. Or at least have been in wonder of them. However, as he found himself looking at the overly plush bed, complete with pillows larger than the occupant and ridiculous curtains draping dramatically over the canopy top, there was an overwhelming urge to laugh. He barely managed to stifle a giggle before a loud slurping noise caught his attention.

His attention was diverted and now focused on the globs of delicious chocolate sitting on Kuriza's spoon. Unconsciously, he stepped forward, a starved look on his face.

"Stand." Kuriza ordered and Goku jumped in alarm, not having been paying attention to the Icejin at all.

"What?"

"You heard me," There was a leer, a smile creeping across chocolate stained lips and Kuriza popped one of the strawberries in his mouth. "Stand and watch." There was a brief flash of _something_ across his face, but Goku didn't know what it was. It was gone too quickly, like it was never there and Kuriza smiled at him but it never reached his eyes. Reaching with his spoon, he scooped up a bit of ice cream and placed it into his mouth, knowing that Goku was watching.

Stiffening, Goku refused to let it affect him despite the fact that his stomach was screaming at him to steal the spoon. He didn't want to cause trouble and he would get to eat soon and so he watched, mouth turning downwards in disapproval. "You're no better than Frieza." He said, unable to stop himself, "You enjoy another's suffering."

Kuriza laughed in response but no matter how Goku looked at it, it sounded strained.

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><p>No matter how many times Zarbon visited the Kold Palace, he hated it. It was unnecessarily large and too gauche even for <em>his<em> tastes. The curtains were huge and too overdramatic. The lush, vibrant carpets clashed horribly with the metal floors and alabaster, marble walls. Everything was too big, too grandiose, too _much._ Not to mention the immense size of the Palace made running around without a scouter or sense of direction a veritable _hell._ He himself had gotten lost countless amounts of time, much to Frieza's amusement.

It wasn't an issue of money; it was a matter of _style, _which the Kold family did not have. Not that he would ever, _ever_ say that aloud. Thankfully though, Zarbon's thoughts were still his own. It was the one thing that Frieza couldn't control, couldn't invade and _tear_ apart.

Zarbon shivered, a chill going down the back of his neck that had nothing to do with the cut of his hair.

Pressing a finger against his scouter, he located Oroitz. He was near Kuriza's room as he had been assigned and Zarbon sped up thought it didn't look like his friend was moving. Suddenly, Zarbon stopped in his tracks as if he had turned into a block of ice. Friend? Oroitz was a soldier. Oroitz was his subordinate and Oroitz was somehow…his friend? He started walking again, nodding at one of the Icejin guards that had been posted after the briefings earlier in the day.

No. He just had…a slip of the mind. Just a result of being far too tired and stressed from the preparations of the upcoming Gala and other things. Oroitz was most definitely, not a friend. He was an idiot, ate far too much, kept too many secrets that almost landed Zarbon's ass in fire _twice._ Somehow, he'd managed to convince Dodoria that Oroitz had no memory of where he had come from. Hell, even Zarbon himself didn't believe that, not with the way Oroitz had stiffened at the mention but luckily, the green skinned beauty was nothing if a fantastic liar.

None of that was Oroitz's actual fault, his mind whispered treacherously and Zarbon banished it to the far corners of his thoughts. He was _not_ conflicted. Just as he'd almost sorted those stupid ideas out, Zarbon saw Oroitz's form in the distance, sitting on the floor and leaning against the marble wall.

"Oroitz?" He called out, nearing the man and hating the way his earlier inner conflicts kept making a comeback.

Oroitz turned his head and Zarbon was actually struck at how tired his eyes looked. It was not unexpected, few lasted long with Kuriza. He stopped right before Oroitz's slouching body, waiting for the Saiyan to gather his wits about him. "Long day?" He offered after a moment, uncharacteristically floundering for words now that Oroitz was somehow in the gray zone. No. There was no gray zone.

The tired man didn't seem to notice at all, shaking his head a bit and blowing his unruly bangs out of his eyes. "They're all alike. It's all his kind is capable of."

Kuriza. He was talking about Kuriza. Zarbon hadn't played bodyguard for the boy but from what he'd heard, it wasn't too far off. He watched passively, stepping back so Oroitz could stand up. "Do you know about the tournament?" They still had scouters. Anyone could hear.

"Only what Dodoria told me." Oroitz scoffed in disgust, folding his arms and looking away. "That kind of entertainment is wrong."

Zarbon rolled his eyes. It wasn't too big of a surprise from the man who rescued someone from a planet he had to purge. He'd met quite a few people like Oroitz before, merciful to a fault and quite frankly, he wasn't sure whether he admired or pitied them. The part of Zarbon that had been capable of feeling compassion would have applauded Oroitz for his bravery, but that piece of him was dead, along with his planet and his entire race. Instead, he ignored Oroitz's useless spouting. In all his experience, Oroitz's kind never lasted too long. "Lucky for you then, I suppose, that this year the tournament is special."

Oroitz craned his neck, rubbing at a muscle. "What do you mean?"

"It seemed that the usual tournaments weren't entertaining enough and the guests feel that watching inexperienced slaves fumble in the ring becomes tedious after a certain amount of time." It was true; watching children fight to the death was rarely entertaining, even to the most bloodthirsty of fighters. Zarbon may have been broken and glued together over and over during the years, but he still had dignity and honor.

Oroitz was scowling, an unusual look on his handsome face. "So what's so special about the tournament this year? No fight to the death?"

"No," Zarbon informed him with a nonchalant shrug, "Well, in a sense. No slaves this time around. This year, soldiers from King Kold's and Princes Frieza's and Cooler's ships will be fighting."

Excitement flared in Oroitz's eyes, completely replacing the weary, bitter look had been there seconds ago. Even his entire body perked up and the Saiyan stood up straighter. Maybe it was Zarbon going slowly insane but his stupid hair looked neater too.

"Does that mean I get to fight too?" He was almost bouncing up and down like a child, clenched hands coming up to bob beside him. It was like he had completely forgotten about his earlier frustrations.

Zarbon pressed his face into the inviting cradle of his palm, a muffled groan escaping him. How in ten hells had he thought that Oroitz _wouldn't_ be absolutely thrilled at the prospect of fighting? He should have known better, the man was a Saiyan for Frieza's sake. They positively _lived_ to mindlessly throw their fists around. "Yes. You get to fight too."

"Are you going to compete too?" Oroitz's placed his hands on Zarbon's shoulders, almost shaking him back and forth before Zarbon removed his them none too gently.

"Let go of me you oaf and no, I'm _not_ going to fight. Unlike you, I have brains." He looked Oroitz over once, "And looks. I'm also not in a hurry to get rid of them."

Oroitz laughed and the sound eased some of Zarbon's tension. Few people ever really laughed like that anymore, like they were still completely innocent, still living in a world where joy didn't come at a cost. "It's not that bad Zarbon; don't you want to test your skills out?"

"No," Running a hand through his hair, Zarbon sighed, "I'm Lord Frieza's advisor for the event, along with Dodoria. I can't be throwing myself into the ring like some mindless animal." The last words were accompanied with a sharp look at Oroitz, who had the decency to grin abashedly. "Enough. Don't you want any details?"

"Details?"

Gods, Oroitz was so exasperating. "To make the actual competition interesting," Zarbon began, ignoring the urge to just walk away. "Only those with a power level of over 10,000 are allowed in the arena."

Oroitz's eyes flickered to his ID, pinned to his armor before exclaiming, "Mine is over 10,000!"

"Oroitz…" Zarbon pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose and looked down. "I am seriously considering hitting you."

"Ooh! If you join the tournament you can do that there!" The Saiyan didn't seem the least bit fazed, even more excited at the prospect of having the Lieutenant join.

Zarbon barely managed to keep his jaw from breaking the floor. He was…just going to leave now. Turning away decisively, he began walking back in the direction he had come from. Retrospectively, he could have just had this conversation over the scouters. He must have been _really_ tired. "The tournament is in three days."

"Where should I go?" Oroitz called out behind him, his voice echoing the largely empty corridors.

Not that Zarbon cared, but fortunately most of the servants were sleeping. The only ones out now where some of the lower Icejin guards and since the guests were due to arrive the day before the Gala, the rest of the palace was fairly empty. "The day before, I'll open a direct line to your scouter."

"Good night Zarbon!"

Oh good lord did the idiot never cease- "Good Night Oroitz." He turned and waved back at the enthusiastic man. Why did he wave back? Zarbon was really tired. That briefing with Frieza and his family had been really long and he just wanted a cup of something. Preferably sweet. "Dodoria," he said into his scouter, calling up his comrade.

"Yeah?" Dodoria's voice sounded robotic, "Listen, you up for a midnight snack? I had some of the servants stash away some food and alcohol."

A grin formed on Zarbon's face. Tired as he was, it was always infinitely more enjoyable to help himself to Frieza's wealth when the tyrant wasn't looking. How else was he supposed to cope?

"Meet you at the kitchen."

* * *

><p>A tournament! The entire day's stresses faded away in the wake of Zarbon's news. It had been ages since he had competed in a tournament and even though the fighters weren't much in physical prowess, it would be absolutely exhilarating to do consensual combat! It also meant that he wouldn't have to watch over Kuriza for that short amount of time.<p>

Goku frowned. Kuriza was weak but he was exactly like his father. For all his nonchalance about Goku's Instant Transmission, Kuriza –like his father- had Goku teleport him everywhere. The kitchens, the laboratory, the showers and even the poor servant's quarters. It looked like one of the frailer maids was about to have a heart attack with the way Kuriza landed on her.

The whole day had been a mess of Kuriza taunting him, laughing at Goku and insulting every aspect all the way from his hair to the color of his skin. He really was nothing more than an animal to Kuriza. The child prided himself on exploiting the weaknesses of others and enjoyed adding salt to already stinging wounds. But however Goku thought of it, there was something lacking.

Confidence. He could feel it in the way Kuriza acted could see it in the child's every twitch and strained laugh.

Frieza had respect for himself, if for no one else at all. He also was confident to a fault and it inevitably led to his downfall. Kuriza was different in that aspect. There was the stench of insecurity around him. For all his jabs, they were empty. It was a bit strange actually but Goku didn't want to dwell on it too much. Kuriza had been raised in the likeness of Frieza and just like Frieza; he was hated, feared and awed by all at once.

A clatter interrupted Goku's thoughts, the ring of something slamming against metal coming from Kuriza's room. Rushing, Goku almost slammed against the door in his attempt to open it then simply applied a bit of pressure, forcing it to open. "Kur- Prince Kuriza, are you-?" He stopped in his tracks, staring at the sight before him.

Kuriza sat on the floor, papers with drawings scattered all around him. His small, white fingers were stained dark with some sort of ink; the panels of his computer were open, wires protruding from the wall and some sort of liquid leaking from a tube that had been pulled out. The small Icejin was staring at him, panic clearly evident on his delicate features and his mouth hung open, eyes wide open in shock.

Goku's eyes flickered to a small cup that had fallen over, the black liquid inside of it spreading all across the metal floor. Kuriza had been drawing? Just as he opened his mouth, Kuriza had barely managed to collect himself and crushed the paper he had been working on.

Stuffing it behind his back, he hissed at Goku, "Don't tell anyone!" The words were venomous but the incessant twitching of his tail told the Saiyan that Kuriza was afraid, fear and shock still coursing strongly through his limbs from the way he stiffly grabbed the rest of the parchment and crushed them into tiny balls. Turning furious but shaken eyes at Goku, Kuriza whispered shrilly, "Get out!"

When Goku didn't respond for a moment, still staring at him, Kuriza bit his lower lip in rage and threw the crumpled ball at the Saiyan's face, "OUT!"

Goku fumbled at the ball, stepping back and out the way he had come in, slamming the door behind him on the way. The shock was still eating at him and he couldn't get the sight of the frightened child out of his mind. That fear had been real, the anxiety legitimate. Kuriza had been genuinely terrified of being seen drawing. Remembering the ball he had in his hands, Goku glanced around him, glad that there was no one nearby.

Slowly, he smoothed out the paper, making sure not to smudge anything. The drawing itself was distorted since the oil hadn't had time to dry and from the way Kuriza had forced it into a ball but it was good. Not that Goku knew what good 'art' was, but it certainly was better than anything he could do on paper. He could barely write but Goku could clearly see that there was talent on the paper he held before him. It was a picture of a landscape, complete with trees and shrubbery and even birds. Even smudged and dripping, it was a good picture.

Goku frowned, why had he been so afraid?

Kuriza had been drawing with some kind of oil, the tubing running behind the panels of his large desk. Why had he been drawing with that? Didn't he have some kind of pencil or other drawing implements? Why his fingers and _oil_ of all things?

Suddenly, understanding dawned on him like the sun's rays after a dark night. Things started making sense, like the strange look that flashed over Kuriza's face every once in a while and the way his taunts sounded empty. How could he have been so stupid to overlook the simple fact that Kuriza was a child? Kuriza may be Frieza's son but he still had needs like every other child out there, how could Goku have been so utterly blind? The sheer terror at being found out certainly cleared a few things up.

Folding the drawing carefully, he tucked it under his armor and placed two fingers on his head, focusing on where the laboratory was. In seconds, he landed in the correct room, judging from the shocked scientists.

"What are you doing here?" One of them sputtered, waving a crooked finger at Goku who just stepped back with a disarming grin. "We were in the middle of an experiment and you could have ruined everything! You can't just pop in here whenever you feel like it; don't you know the Gala is just around the corner?"

"I'm really sorry," Goku stated, "But do any of you study plants and animals?"

The one who had spoken before sighed, folding thin, spindly green arms over his thin chest. Despite having a beak, he still managed to look like he was frowning. "Most of us." He raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Why?"

"Um, I need to know what plants and animals aren't poisonous." Oh Kami he hadn't thought this part out. How was he supposed to explain his intentions-?

"Oh!" The scientist said, tension easing away from thin shoulders. "You're with the cooks! Why didn't you say so?" He turned to one of the large cabinets that graced the walls and opened it with his ID, shuffling through some Data Pads while the others returned to their stations. "It's a rough time in the kitchen this year, what with constantly lacking ingredients. Never happened before." He turned a blue eye to Goku, "I don't envy you either but I don't understand why they keep sending someone different every time! Ah, here we are!"

He pulled out two data pads and presented them to Goku with a satisfied look on his face, "We've compiled a list of both animals and greenery that are safe to cook." Glancing over Goku, he chuckled at the confused look. "We got tired of describing them to off-world aliens over and over again. Anyways, press the button, yes. You see there? It's got both a picture and how to handle the subject so the good parts aren't squashed or broken in the process."

"Oh. Thanks." Goku wasn't sure how to respond but that had been relatively easy. "So where-?"

"The forest ten miles west of the Palace. The plants are easy enough to find but…" The scientist leaned forward, glancing at his ID and power level. "15,000? I don't think you can handle the creatures. The Icejin use them for sport you know? Hunting and such. They've got power levels of over 50,000."

"Don't worry," Goku reassured the man, "I can handle it. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve you know?"

The alien shrugged, turning away and heading back to the table he had been working on, "Your funeral."

Sensing that he was no longer important, Goku IT'ed away, outside the Palace. According to his scouter, he had about ten hours until he had to look after Kuriza. Speaking of scouters, he took his off and placed it in a hole he hollowed out in a tree with his energy. No sense in being tracked down in the middle of his plan. With that done and the scouter covered by the dark red leaves of the tree Goku had chosen, he flew off in the direction the scientist spoke of.

The landscape was pleasant enough to look at, a variety of colors rather than just a few different shades. The trees were mostly red, and the trunks a brown similar to those of Earth trees. The grass was also red but the sky was a familiar dark blue, two moons illuminating everything in sight as if it was plain day. In the distance, he could see the forest closing in fast and it was less than five minutes before he was floating over a large expanse of green um…redery(?).

Boy that scientist sure hadn't been kidding. The animals around here were strong, far stronger than most (if not all) the soldiers on Frieza's ship. No wonder the Icejin used them for sport and hunting, they were probably good challenges for their children. But he would get to the animals later; first he turned on the data pad that had classified the plants. With any luck he would get everything done that night.

And things were already looking up because just in that small clearing there was a batch of beautiful, purple Ignot Petals.

Ten hours and counting.


	23. A Hidden Self! The Cracked Mask

Hi everyone, thanks for waiting so patiently for this update. Seriously, I have been writing this chapter from the day I uploaded the last one. I have written, rewritten, rewritten again, screamed in frustration and then rewrote this chapter. By my count, it's been four or so rewrites and since I have no beta reader -speaking of which, I'm looking for one (PM me!)- it's taken me really long to try to keep this chapter from going out of control.

Anyways, onto the next chapter of Dream of Yesterday!

* * *

><p>People often thought that Goku lacked any skills that didn't include combat or food. While it was true that those things were on Goku's mind the most often, it most certainly did not mean he was unable to do anything else. When he was a boy living with his elderly grandfather, Goku couldn't recall a single time the man had gone down to a nearby village or city for supplies. They had lived entirely off the land, meaning that Goku knew a few things about living resourcefully, hunting aside. There were a lot of things he could do, like making his own clothes and even building his own shelter.<p>

In his spare time, his grandfather had a penchant for painting and though Goku might be a bit rusty now, he certainly knew how to make powdered pigment. His speed and strength made grinding various stones into a nice, sand-like consistency a matter of minutes. It would take a regular human, like his grandfather, several hours. One of the main things Goku had done as a child was to run around collecting the different stones and other bits that would make for adequate paint.

Pens were out of his league, but brushes were a piece of cake. Paper was a bit more complicated, something he hadn't _completely _mastered but it was doable, especially since he had several pieces of bark on hand and all from different trees he'd found thanks to the data pads.

…Though he sincerely hoped that there wouldn't be any questions as to why there were suddenly mass clearings in the forest. He'd gone through a few trees before he'd actually been able to peel off the right amount of bark without ruining it. It had been a long time, it was no wonder that he'd lost a bit of his touch, not having done this for anyone other than his grandfather.

Finishing the paper would just be a matter of delicacy. He couldn't rush or it would be ruined as his grandfather had told him long ago when demonstrating it to Goku. All he needed to do was to make fine strips, soak them in water and set them together in a tight web-like structure. Then he would need to press the water out and dry quickly. It took several scraps of bark to get it right but after half an hour, Goku had a nice stack of uneven, rough paper in a stack.

Obviously it wasn't factory quality but it would be better than what Kuriza had been drawing on, scraps obviously filched from the servant's quarters. Finished, he put them beside the other things, inordinately proud of himself. There was always a pleasure in making things instead of breaking them. While combat afforded Goku one of the greatest pleasures in the universe, to converse on a level beyond words, _creating_ something always reminded him of warmth.

He looked down at the ingredients gathered before him, a mass of animal, mineral and botanical components. The animals had been the most difficult of all to collect and when the data pad had said that handling them required extreme caution, it hadn't been kidding! There were at least several dozen species that were way, _way_ stronger than most of the people on Frieza's ship. Not that taking them on was difficult for Goku, but it was quite a battle having to put down beasts the size of buildings without either alerting the palace security sectors or damaging the parts he needed. Luckily, he had managed to gather what he needed without denting their population and he'd managed to fill up his stomach as well!

All in all he could only make about seven different colors, give or take. Some of the pigment, like the white from the Queen's Tongue Worm's teeth or blue from the scales of the Thrash Viper would be difficult to gather without compromising the components. They were strong and traveled in packs, making killing them a difficult and arduous task. He could, at best, make only a third of white and blue than he could with the other colors but it would have to do. For the moment, he had to leave the pigment in their powdered form since he didn't have any suitable containers for wet paint.

Thankfully, intestines made for great bags and he hadn't forgotten to take some from the creatures he had killed earlier. They had already been washed and dried and he piled each of the ingredients in a few separate makeshift bags.

The brightening sky told him that his time was almost up and he could sense people waking up at the palace, most likely servants. Kuriza was still asleep but soon enough, someone would come checking to make sure Goku had stayed at his post. He placed two fingers against his forehead and began his Instant Transmission technique, bags in hand and paper tucked under his armor.

A moment later, he appeared at the tree where he had hid his scouter and pulled the device out, setting it over his ear once more. Pressing the button, Goku was grateful to see that no one had tried to contact him. It would make explaining where he was extremely difficult and he hadn't thought that out at all. Taking out the paper, he shoved both the stack and the bag into the hole and covered it up again. Once the bag had been properly hidden, he teleported to his post and looked around to make sure there was no one to witness him popping in.

Leaning against the wall, Goku crossed his arms and waited.

* * *

><p>Kuriza was less than pleased that morning to have been woken up by his usual alarm, a beeping that invaded even the deepest of dreams. Last night had been difficult and he had barely gotten any sleep, spending a good portion of his time hiding away what little, precious paper he had and making sure to scrub the oil stains out of his hands and floor. When he had been done, panting and fear shaken, he had been satisfied to see that there was no trace of his earlier activities and had gone to bed. He ignored his shaking knees, already disappointed in himself for <em>wanting<em> to do such a degrading activity such as drawing but he hadn't been able to help it. His hands had inadvertently gone for his paper, a prized bounty despite the vehement way his mind protested.

That someone might _tell_ and then…what? He would be a bigger disappointment than he already was? Shaking his head vehemently, Kuriza banished those nagging thoughts. He would find a way to make papa proud, he swore on it.

If Oroitz was as stupid as his hairstyle seemed to let on this his father wouldn't get word of it. The bumbling fool of a bodyguard was probably too riddled in fear and the what-if's of Kuriza's previous threat to actually realize that such a thing would never happen. In any case, he couldn't worry about the dolt's tiny brain when his morning schedule looked the way it did. If he remembered correctly, his _favorite_ class was the only one not canceled by the looming Gala. Wonderful.

"Prince Kuriza?" A knock on the door shook Kuriza out of his thoughts. A spike of irritation ran up his spine, hadn't he told the man not to bother him when he had been dismissed the night before?

"What is it? I'm busy!" Not really but it would serve the idiot well to know his place.

"Aren't you supposed to have classes now? Zarbon told me-"

How dare he continue? Kuriza hissed under his breath, the muscles in his tail beginning their traitorous twitching. "Do you think you can tell _me_ where to go and what to do?" Damn that Zarbon. Kuriza hated that particular man even more than anyone else in the palace. Though he was considered beautiful by many species of than his own, Zarbon was sycophantic, arrogant, pathetic and oh so worthless. He wore 'respect' like it was a jacket, turned on and off as if it were a faucet.

When Oroitz didn't respond to his anger, Kuriza allowed a glimmer of a smile show on his face as he pulled on his armor. Straightening up, he glanced at himself in the mirror and scowled, trying to imitate the way papa had looked the previous day. Unsatisfied, he crossed his arms in an attempt to look intimidating; experimenting with the sly smile he'd seen on the many faces of his peers. It looked rather good on him, much more fitting on his face than any of the others that dared wear it.

It was a smile of pure confidence, an expression fit for a child of the Kold family.

After a while, his reflection ceased to amuse him, his mirror self offering no entertainment or praise and Kuriza headed for the door, checking one last time to make sure that his room looked spotless. Just the way he was told it should be.

Assuaged that he would not be discovered, Kuriza left the safety and prison of his room to the larger cage of the hallway.

His bodyguard was leaning against the wall, head tilted and staring at the lights as if he'd never seen such a thing before.

Kuriza tapped his tail against the floor in a bid for attention, which was already demeaning enough. A Kold should never have to order attention; it should be given without hesitation and with a good helping of gratitude. To serve the Kold family should be the highest honor.

Finally, Oroitz looked his way, an infuriatingly open smile greeting Kuriza. "Good morning!"

"Has anyone told you that your hair looks stupid?" It was a weak comeback, retrospectively but it had been all he could think of to say, caught off guard by the trusting expression on the humanoid's face. For a moment Kuriza expected that the man might adopt the same dark, insulted look he had the day before but he was both disappointed and relieved when he didn't.

"Really?" Oroitz asked, one gloved hand pulling at one of the spikes protruding from his ponytail. "I sort of like it."

That was a strange response if Kuriza had ever heard one, as if the hairstyle hadn't been his choice in the first place. Perhaps that ponytail was crushing what little brains the man had, Kuriza wouldn't be surprised. After all, off worlders were strange, if not irredeemably stupid as Oroitz was proving to be.

Ignoring Oroitz and his obliviousness, Kuriza rolled his eyes and began to walk –more like stalk- through the hallway and towards the bane of his existence. The guards and servants of the palace stood like statues beside the walls, all in deference to Kuriza's presence but he wasn't fooled. There was no real respect, only fear and trepidation crawling its way up their stomachs and into their throats only to shine in their eyes even when they thought they hid it.

But Kuriza could see it, plain as day. They hated him, not a single dreg of awe of admiration. It made his chest feel itchy, like an old woman's purse.

He ignored them, unwilling to have their eyes boring into him any longer, Kuriza sped his pace enough to look like he _chose_ to hurry, like their gazes didn't chase him off like a beaten dog. The large doors to the combat dome were nearing ominously, their large gleaming metal structure an unusual obelisk in the grandeur of the hallway. Just before he entered, Kuriza straightened his spine and arched his tail, just the way he had practiced in the mirror but he knew, deep down, that it was futile.

The entire room turned to look at him when he entered, the familiar faces of his peers and fellow Icejin turning him to stone at the very spot in which he stood. His feet felt as if they were part of the floor and that slowly, painfully, he was sinking.

"You are late Prince." His teacher, the largest of them all spoke to him, not bothering to look away from the data pad in her delicate hand. She was exasperated, he knew it but his knees had stiffened and words weren't coming from his throat, lodged in his chest like bile.

He swallowed them back down, moving deliberately, slowly to his place.

His _place_, among the others, the lesser of his race.

The irony of the situation did not escape Kuriza, and he clenched his fists against his sides in an effort to stem the tide of frustration that was about to overwhelm him. He hated them all, seethed with hate until it felt like his skin was just a too small container for some ill guided malice. Only a moment passed until it abated, then it was forgotten, like every other emotion. Just as he had learned.

His teacher finally looked up from the pad, her eyes scanning over them, suspiciously skimming over his own red-plated head. "Get in your training brackets please."

He knew he shouldn't and Kuriza _knew_ he was expressly forbidden to…

But silently, he begged for class to end.

* * *

><p>The Combat Dome was amazing, large and grandiose only the way Frieza and his family could make it. There was a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing arena in the center, surrounded by spectator seats blocked off by several barriers. There were computer screens situated at the top areas of the dome, most likely to capture the action from every angle possible.<p>

There were even glass windows and a section that looked VIP. It would be a safe bet to say that this was most likely where the tournament would be taking place.

However it wasn't from the sight of the arena that Goku had to stop his jaw from dropping. Icejin! Icejin _everywhere._ Up until now, he had only seen Frieza, Cooler and Kuriza, and even then he had assumed that all Icejin looked similar. In a sense, they did but they were also vastly different.

The ones in the room were all smaller than him, barely even reaching his chest but they were obviously children and boy did they come in every shape and color! He couldn't tell if they were boys or girls but some had three horns and some had none while others had long, deadly looking spiked tails when others had small, stubbier ones. Some had armor and others had plates that were twice the size of their small heads. There were Icejin with prominent colors like blue and yellow, others had stripes and one even had strange spots going all the way down his back, ending at the tip of his long tail. The Icejin was apparently as varied a species as any other Goku had seen.

"Get in your training brackets please." The biggest one said. It was a she, judging from her voice and it was obvious she was the teacher. She was elegant, the first female Icejin Goku had seen. The plate on her head was small, extending all the way down her back in a golden spike. She had no breasts, a smooth expanse of armor covering her chest and ending above her peachy colored stomach. Her waist was trim and legs long and shapely, ending in the three fingered toes that were a trait of their species.

So that was a female. It didn't seem too much a stretch of the imagination anymore.

The children obeyed her orders and Goku's eyes wandered onto Kuriza who, despite his straight spine, looked as if he were having a difficult time dragging himself to his spot. It was no wonder either, the others were leagues above him in power.

And confidence, Goku thought, watching Kuriza's partner grin at him. The Icejin before Kuriza was roughly his height but much bulkier, his chest covered in one white and dark green plate that extended all the way down to his knees and to the tip of his short tail. Instead of the bracer-like things on Kuriza's legs, this other Icejin had something similar to anklets. He had raised his fists, feet spread apart in a typical fighting stance.

To an untrained eye, Kuriza may have looked similarly confident in his abilities. His tail was behind him, creating deft shapes in the air and his feet were spread apart, mirroring his opponent. His hips were facing forward and hands curled into tight fists and held aloft just over his chest. The plate on his head gleamed and the smirk on his face told everyone around him that he was a force to be reckoned with. It could have fooled anyone.

But Goku could spot fear when he saw it. Every movement that Kuriza made was a well versed play, made to hide jittery nerves and fear of failure. It was the act of someone who was used to losing, used to being on the bottom come the results of the battle. It was evident in the way his smile looked strained and how his tail made _too_ perfect shapes, like it wasn't a natural movement. Everything was too fixed, planned out far before Kuriza ever stepped foot into the room.

No doubt that this was likely the boy's least favorite class.

"Begin." The teacher said, jumping out to stand on one of the barriers between the spectator seats and arena. It was a good vantage point, offering an adequate viewpoint for every small battle occurring within the arena.

There was a whirl of color and armor, each of the small Icejin bringing their fists together in hand to hand combat. For a moment, Goku experienced a rush of pleasure in watching the children battle. They were deft and agile, trading blow for blow in a beautiful combination that always left him breathless and itching to find a sparring partner. That sensation was short lived when his eyes roved for Kuriza again, focusing on the diminutive Icejin and his opponent. To say that it was a battle would have been an overstatement. While the green one seemed to be boasting his abilities, lean arms flying out in a flurry and eyes gleaming with a less than friendly spark, Kuriza seemed to be as stable as a reed in a storm.

He looked pathetically lanky beside his partner, his movements slow and clunky, like he had just learned them the day before. The boy's power barely held a candle to the green Icejin's and he knew it, the grin quickly fading from his delicate face and tail coming down to curl around the top of his ankle. Even the straight backed pose Kuriza adopted looked less confident and more _rigid._

Goku winced at the sight, feeling an unusual twinge of pity. It was not towards Kuriza that he felt it but for the fact that the boy was matched up so unfairly, his own Ki barely registering on his senses in the sea of power that were the other Icejin. Did they find joy in that?

Goku shook his head, simply watching as the rest of the time passed by.

* * *

><p>It was done. Over. Finished.<p>

If Kuriza knew all the languages in the Universe, it would still be inadequate in fully describing the relief that was coursing through every fiber of his body. Comically enough, it would also be unable to completely encapsulate Kuriza's intense abhorrence of the class. There had to be a better way to accomplish one's goals without having to resort to actual combat. It was incredibly confusing as to why Kuriza had to continue attending these classes, especially since his papa prided himself on getting others to do the work.

It wasn't just the actual combat that bothered Kuriza either. It wasn't as if his parentage was a well kept secret or his clan was some obscure group at the far edge of the cosmos. Everyone knew and, rightfully, feared the Kold Clan. They had conquered hundreds of species, had made even those who considered themselves mighty bow before their power and influence and so no one dared to say anything to Kuriza's face.

No, they kept their jibes and whispered insults behind his back and _that_, strangely enough, wasn't a guarded secret. They laughed at him, jeered his failures and took pride in the fact that from the mightiest of Icejin could bear such rotten fruit like Kuriza.

He wasn't an idiot, weak as he may be. _Defective_ as he may be, he could tell when someone was holding back. Words weren't the only way one could speak and Kuriza was already well versed in finding hidden meanings. So when Kuriza's blows landed on his opponent, Gelid, it hadn't taken several hours of analytical work to realize that it had been deliberate, perhaps ordered from the boy's father in an attempt to circumvent Kold's imagined wrath. What they didn't know was that Kuriza was expendable; he knew his father took no pride in him. He was worthless.

Why else did papa lock him in his palace, only seeing his face once every five years and only for a few moments then? Of course the fault lay with him; he was the weak link in both figurative and literal terms. Kuriza should have been angry but there was only the familiar experience of bitterness. Bitterness aimed at himself for being what he was, _who _he was even though he knew full well that it was beyond his power to change such things. Then, looking at it that way, Kuriza felt something he liked to call rage.

Rage was supposed to be like a burning wave, devouring everything in its wake like a black hole. For Kuriza however, rage was more like an idle sensation cooking at the pit of his stomach. It wasn't hurried and didn't demand that he expel it in a fit against some hapless maid or cook that had the misfortune of being in the same hallway as him, though he often did, more in an attempt to emulate his peers rather than his own need to lash out.

And so in the wake of today's combat session, Kuriza had been less than astonished to find himself stuck between feeling cheated and chuckling at his own frailty. Today's report to papa would contain nothing new, only a reiteration of the failure his child is and will become. Kuriza wished to say that he had intelligence but even that was…at an even level with the others in his class.

`Even Oroitz remained silent, the overly optimistic humanoid hanging back with a thoughtful look that was completely unbecoming.

Kuriza felt the first prickle of irritation. Now even a lowly bodyguard pitied him? For some unnamed reason, he couldn't handle it. He turned, upper lip peeling away in disgust as he spat, "What?"

Oroitz stepped back in alarm, eyes widening under his messy bangs. "Huh?"

His feigned idiocy fanned the flames of fury, no longer just a dark feeling in his stomach. "You think I don't know what you have rattling around in your head? I may be a defect," he hissed, "but how _dare_ you laugh at me!" It was to Kuriza's infinite bewilderment that Oroitz looked neither frightened nor taken aback.

"I'm not laughing," Oroitz said and Kuriza was struck by the sincerity in his tone, the resolute tone of his voice that neither mocked nor pleaded. "Why would I?"

"Why _wouldn't_ you?" Kuriza responded, honestly confused. He was grateful that they were nearing their room, out of earshot for anyone else that happened to be passing by. It would be highly scandalous, being seen engaged in a quarrel with someone so below his station.

"Oh hey!" Oroitz said, completely changing the subject, clapping his hands together. "I brought some stuff for you!" His eyes brightened, a smile stretching almost audibly across his cheeks.

Kuriza found himself struggling to find words, immediately forgetting what he had been so affronted about. This new development seemed much more interesting and he combed his brain for something to say. Finally, Kuriza settled on an eloquent "Huh?"

Oroitz was looking around them, much the same way Kuriza had done moments before, searching for any onlookers before placing two fingers and flickering away. Kuriza didn't even have time for the indignation of his blatant disrespect to settle before the man was back, carrying with him several pinkish colored bags, hastily stitched together and tied with some sort of leafy thread. There was a strange odor, pungent but not curdling and the small Icejin shocked himself by being insanely curious as to its contents.

"Come on," Oroitz's continued, words still far too informal to be directed to someone of Kuriza's station and he was torn between inherent curiosity and eleven years worth of lessons and admonishments.

It was a bit frightening actually, how quickly the latter lost.

Kuriza opened the door, still battling against himself, what he was told, what he _should_ do…even as he stepped in. His muscles thrummed with an alien sort of excitement and he moved aside, allowing Oroitz entry. "Open the bag," He ordered; moving closer but there was no mistaking the premonition that everything was going to change and the subsequent disquiet following such a discovery. There was no going back once Oroitz opened that mysterious bag, somehow Kuriza knew it and yet he didn't stop it.

He wanted some change, wanted _something_ other than this glorified cage.

Oroitz knelt on his floor and spread the bags out, each a different size but all from the same material. Then he pulled something out of his armor, a folded piece of paper that Kuriza recognized.

That was his! That was the drawing he had done, what Kuriza had thought a morning would look like from the forest. "What are you doing with that?" Alarm settled in his stomach. The drawing had completely flown away from his thoughts when Oroitz had stumbled upon him, that small piece completely forgotten as Kuriza rushed to rid his room of the evidence.

Oroitz looked up at him, removing his scouter. "This?" Folding out the paper he grinned, completely oblivious to Kuriza's unease. "You threw it at me remember? But I kept it, it was really good too." He untied the strings, gently prying the knots open even though he could easily shred the bags without a second thought.

Kuriza threw himself at the drawing, snatching the evidence away and a piece tore, staying within Oroitz's tight grip. "How-how did you?" Kuriza sputtered, balling the paper up and tearing it to pieces. He didn't dare blast it; the ensuing commotion would call the attention of the guards and that would be an absolute catastrophe. Instead he held it behind his back, painfully aware of the panicked visage that was currently his face. There was no way Oroitz wouldn't comment and Kuriza hastened to respond appropriately, a snide comment or an order that would shut the man up-

"I made paper."

What?

Oroitz brought his attention to the stack that Kuriza had neglected to notice in his panic, a grouping of uneven scraps that looked handmade, just as Oroitz had claimed. That was just…What in the world was the man doing? Was he _insane?_

He picked up what looked like a sharp fang, yellowed and cracked. Holding it up, it seemed as if he were offering it to Kuriza, "We can make paint out of these, the brushes are already done."

He could hold it in no longer, Kuriza hissed under his breath, dangerous and low. "What do you think you're _doing_? Do you think that you can just waltz in her e and dump your trash on the floor?" Kuriza's tail whipped across the space between them, intending to strike the bastard's cheek for his defiance but its trajectory stopped short just an inch before he made contact.

Oroitz was looking at him, hands frozen above the myriad of things he had brought with him, fingers still picking at the orange stems he had withdrawn. It was as if the threat of Kuriza's tail did not faze him at all. Didn't Oroitz know that Kuriza, weak though he was by the standards of his own species, was still infinitely stronger than him? A trauma to the head was little more than a light tap for Kuriza but Oroitz simply held one of those stems up, "Do you have any clean plates? Glass ones?"

Kuriza nodded before he fully realized what he was doing, caught in the grip of something bigger than him and yet it felt like he was the center of it all. Leaving Oroitz on all fours, he lowered his tail and strode towards the large shelves that lined his room, floating towards the ceiling. If he was correct, then there must have been some novelty decorations…ah yes. He counted ten plates, all different sizes and spotless. Not a speck of dust adorning their shining surfaces.

His maids were, of course, ever vigilant in their duties.

He brought them to Oroitz, settling them with a clack onto the floor, "Will these do?"

Oroitz examined them, pulling off one glove with his pearly teeth and running the peachy tips over the white plates. He traced the engraved designs. "These are good. Can you bring a cup of water?"

And only the gods could tell Kuriza why he obeyed like a supplicant puppy, rushing towards his bathing chambers with haste he didn't wish to admit to himself. Quickly he filled a spare cup to the brim, water splashing to the floor when he hurried back out and turned it over to Oroitz. "What are you doing?"

There was a stone in Oroitz's hand, more specifically, there were two stones. Oblong and smooth, they looked carved because he doubted anything _that_ perfect existed naturally. One was offered to him and Kuriza took it after a moment of hesitation, rolling it around in his palms and running his fingers over the stony grit. It was heavy and it was big enough that when he wrapped his small fingers around its circumference, thumb barely met middle finger.

Oroitz patted the floor beside him, an expectant look on his face.

Kuriza fidgeted, unsure whether he wanted to sit down or storm off in a rage. He was being disrespected, his authority and status overlooked by some lowly humanoid! Kuriza sat down, tail tapping against the floor, ignoring the voice at the back of his head that was most definitely laughing at him. "What do I do with this?" He passed the stone from one hand to the other.

"I'll show you," Oroitz responded and placed a plate in front of him. "We're going to grind these into powder. I'll do one first." He had his own plate filled with a collection of blue scales, all iridescent the size of a circle if Kuriza made one with his thumb and forefinger.

Watching, Kuriza leaned forward with his weight on one hand. There was a resounding crunch and Oroitz's tool crushed a few of the scales. The plates were relatively flat but Oroitz made do, wrist rotating in fluid, practiced movement and he smashed the rest of the scales. It didn't take him long, maybe only a few minutes and it was obvious he had done this before, an intense look of concentration stiffening his features.

The scales became a fine indigo powder, not a single grain larger than the other. Oroitz sat back, grinning and tapped the end of his grinder against the plate and remnants of dust floated to the air. "See? Just like that, the trick is to keep the rotations the same or you'll end up with uneven grains of powder. You try." He gestured at the plate he had placed in front of Kuriza, filled with the yellowed fangs he had fingered earlier.

Kuriza was intrigued, actually. He looked at the stone in his palms, weighing it against before pulling the plate closer to him. It had four teeth, all cracked, and colored at the edges, roughly the size of Oroitz's entire hand. They were sharp too, he picked one up, testing the point and put it back down. Wherever Oroitz had gotten these from, it was obvious that the animal had been large. Resolute, Kuriza covered the grinder with both hands like he had seen Oroitz and placed the rounded edge against the tooth, pressing down. There was a satisfying cracking sound and he grinned, applying more pressure until the entire enamel split down the side.

He rotated his wrists, applying force the entire time in consistent motion as he had been told. Oroitz watched him the entire time, a patient smile plastered over his calm features, occasionally offering a word of advice when Kuriza's didn't do something correctly. It had taken him longer than Oroitz had but soon, his own plate of teeth had been finely ground into a soft, whitish powder. Tapping the stone against the plate as Oroitz had, Kuriza smiled in contentment. There hadn't been that many teeth so it was a small pile, roughly the same size at the scales but he had been surprised at how such yellow looking fangs could yield such an unblemished color.

"Want to do the others?" Oroitz asked after a moment and Kuriza nodded, gripping the stone firmly in his hands. "Which one do you want?"

"What color does that one make?" He pointed at one of the other plates, this time filled with small amber colored stones. Picking it up, Kuriza held the plate level with his eyes, examining them. They weren't matte, as they had looked from far away. In fact the stones had a light dusting of sparkles, shimmering under the artificial light.

Oroitz picked one up and held it between his fingers, applying strength and cracking it down the middle. "I know it looks brown but inside," He showed it to Kuriza, "its green." What he spoke was true, the innards of the amber stone were a deep green color, similarly shimmering and vibrant.

"It's pretty." Kuriza commented, cracking one himself and inspecting it. "Do you just pull the green stone out?" He didn't wait for an answer, prying the smaller fragment out with his tiny fingers, placing it amidst the pile of other amber stones.

"Wow you got that out really fast," Oroitz complimented, a frustrated glimmer appearing in his dark eyes. "It took me forever to get one out before; I ended up going through a whole bunch."

"That's because your fingers are big." Kuriza stated matter of factly, tilting his head back to look down on Oroitz's fingers. "And they're gloved," he pointed out, raising his own light pink hands, "See, my fingers are really skinny so they fit." Snatching up the rest of the amber stones, Kuriza broke each one and pulled out the inlaying stone, grinning at Oroitz's look of amazement when he didn't damage a single one. In a matter of moments, the amber pile he had on his plate became green, the shell like stone casing cast aside on the floor.

"We can use these to make brown too." Oroitz said, gathering them in his hand and cupping them over an empty plate. "I'll do these then." His mouth spread in a grin and he leaned forward, a challenge glinting in his eye. "I bet I can grind these faster than you."

Oh of all the nerve! "You think you're faster than me?" Kuriza taunted, his face mirroring Oroitz's cocky grin. "Ok, one, two….three!" His hands were already moving, grinding away the pile of stones he had pulled out. He bit his lower lip, leaning forward and pressed harder. That shot to his dignity would most definitely not stand! Glancing up he laughed at Oroitz whose pile was still just a bunch of half broken brown stones and sand.

Finally, a few seconds later Kuriza sat back, a laugh of victory bubbling from his chest, "I win!" Oroitz was still spinning his wrists around, only finishing right as Kuriza spoke the last word.

"You beat me." Oroitz admitted, not altogether begrudgingly, folding his arms. His own plate was done now, obviously a bright brown color.

Kuriza puffed his chest, "Of course." He pulled another plate to him, "I'll race you for the rest too." Another cocky grin stretched across his face, unable to rein it in. "Of course, unless you're afraid of being _embarrassed._"

Oroitz's curled lip was all the answer he needed and Kuriza's tail swiped across the floor, unfeeling of the cold beneath it. He readied his stone at the same time Oroitz did.

"Go!"

A good twenty minutes later, all the materials had been ground into bright powder, smooth and fine in their consistencies. There were eight colors, blue, white, brown, red, blackish-gray, green, orange and yellow. Some like yellow, white and blue had more diminutive piles than the rest, their components having been explained as difficult to get. When Kuriza had asked as to their next move, Oroitz picked the cup of water, tilting it so that a modest amount mixed with the pile of brown he had ground a while ago.

Picking up the stone grinder, he again placed it onto the powder, pressing down and redoing the motions he had shown Kuriza. "You have to do this a bit slower than the others. " He explained while grinding, glancing upwards every few seconds, gauging Kuriza's enthralled expression. "If you mix it wrong, the quality of the paint becomes very bad and you can't paint anything properly." True to what he said, Oroitz stopped again, pouring more water into the mixture and began the motions anew, long circular strokes all at the same speed and pressure.

When he was done, the brown dirt had become a liquid like paste. Picking up one of the brushes he had made, Oroitz dipped it into the newly made paint and dragged the wet tip across one of the makeshift papers he had laid out. The result was a long brown line, wet and smelling of earth. Not altogether offensive to Kuriza.

"See?" His eyes brightened, teeth showing in a pearly line. "Now you do one and don't forget to wash the stone after each one ok? Can I go to your sink?" He gestured to Kuriza's bathing chambers and waited for a response.

Kuriza nodded, his attention no longer on Oroitz and the plate of orange powder in front of him. "Get some water too since you used up most of the cup."

Oroitz nodded and stood up, disappearing into the bathing room and returning with the cup full of water, grinder clean and dripping onto the once meticulous floor, now covered in various colored dust and stony bits. It gave Kuriza a sort of thrill, to see the formerly impeccable, spotless and cold floor brought down several notches.

He was handed the cup. Kuriza copied Oroitz, dripping water into the powder until it reached roughly the same amount as Oroitz's had. Then he pressed down with his grinder, going slowly and patiently until it was time to pour a few more drops of liquid. Peripherally, he saw Oroitz take the cup and go to refill it, continuing to grind. By the time Oroitz returned, walking carefully so as not to spill anymore, Kuriza was done and tail tapping rapidly against the floor in enthusiasm. "Can we draw now?" Realizing, Kuriza slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes flickering rapidly from the paint to Oroitz's face and back. He hadn't meant to say that, it had just spilled out, uncontrollable and urgent. Unconsciously, he waited for punishment. When none came, he braved a glance at Oroitz.

The man was regarding him with his head tilted. A terse moment passed between them but Oroitz sat down, the cup clinking against the floor. Some water spilled and a bright chuckle erupted from his lips. "Don't you want to do the rest? We only have two colors." He picked up Kuriza's grinder, holding it to the Icejin with an expectant glimmer in his eyes and a cocky crook to his lip.

"Race you."

* * *

><p>What did Bulma once say to him, a long time ago? He had complained to his blue haired friend one day, about Chichi. She wouldn't let him train Gohan, go camping with him or even take him swimming. He <em>missed<em> his son. Bulma had just let him explain, cerulean eyes gazing at some distant point in the horizon, baby trunks sitting in her lap, peacefully sleeping. She had lit up a cigarette, pointing it away from Goku since she knew he didn't like smoke. Without looking at him, she quoted someone but Goku couldn't remember who but he _did_ remember what she said. The words rang clear as day, especially when he looked at Kuriza:

"_We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."_

Words rarely rang around in his head. The smells of food, the sounds of combat, and those things made sense to him but rarely did spoken word make such an impact. How _like_ Bulma to nail something right on the head without a second thought. That's why she was such an important friend and a good person all rolled in one. When she said those things to him, it felt as if he understood a little more about Chichi than before. Chichi liked to look at the future, see the scholar Gohan was supposed to become while Goku never saw Gohan more than the child he was. It was a good balance, he supposed but Goku didn't hold any illusions about his absences.

He was gone more often than he should have been and Chichi lorded it over his head more often than he would have liked. He could also see that Kuriza was in the same boat as Gohan, or so he guessed from the child's behavior. He _looked_ like a tiny Frieza, but he was still just a kid…maybe a little older than Gohan when he had gone to Namek.

Kuriza was drawing, sitting on his knees and bending forward with one of the brushes Goku had made. The corners of his mouth tilted upwards and there was an ardent shimmer in his red eyes, no longer all that beady to Goku. Even the twitchy muscles in his tail had ceased, instead the long appendage seemed to tap to some unknown melody in the boy's head. His hand was moving swiftly over the paper, a cornucopia of reds, greens and browns. A spot of yellow there, a few lines and dashes here created quite an impressive illustration of what looked like a sunset.

"That's really good." Goku looked at his own drawing, unable to control the chuckle the vibrated through his chest. While Kuriza had drawn a beautiful myriad of colors, he had basically splattered paint here in an attempt to draw his favorite foods. "The sushi doesn't look right." He commented, picking up his drawing and holding it up an arm's length away.

Kuriza chortled, giggling into the back of his hand. "That's sushi? I thought you were making some abstract painting."

Goku pouted, "No I'm not. Look," he pointed at a brown spot, "That's pork and this is steak." How did Kuriza _not _see it?

"They're both the same color! And look, how is that sushi? It has _green_ on it." Kuriza took the paper out his Goku's hand, examining it closely. There was a scoff of laughter, "I don't even think you drew those dots."

Goku looked down at his hands and laughed, "So that's where all the green spots came from." He pursed his lips, shaking his head, trying to push bangs out of his eyes.

"You're covered in paint!"

"No I'm not, only my hands." Goku countered, raising his hands in demonstration. He tried to blow away the bangs in his face, inadvertently swiping his fingers over his nose. The acrid smell of crushed bugs assaulted his nose and he made a face of disgust, sticking his tongue out.

Kuriza responded with raucous laughter, grabbing his stomach and giggling uncontrollably, "Now you _are_ covered in paint!" He keeled over, dark lips stretched in an expression that looked much more natural than the Princely mask he wore.

Grinning, Goku raised his hand and while Kuriza was otherwise preoccupied chortling; he ran his dirty digits down Kuriza's cheek. At the boy's incredulous look, Goku said, "So do you."

Kuriza sputtered, wiping his finger against one cheek and pulling them back to gaze at the dark tips. "You!" He exclaimed, eyes wide and staring. "Oh, you are going to regret that!" Kuriza dipped his fingers in the diminishing pile of white paint and leapt forward with a vengeance.

Goku made to move back but he was too slow and Kuriza's white spotted fingers ran over his chin with zeal, the Icejin laughing in triumph. Goku tried to wipe it off but managed to smudge it instead, groaning when he realized his own gloves were dirty. Now he probably had a mess of colors all over his face.

When Kuriza laughed, confirming Goku's suspicions, he joined Kuriza and the rest of the hour was spent painting on skin rather than paper.

"What are you drawing on my head, Oroitz?" Kuriza asked after a good fifteen minutes, crossing his eyes, attempting to see what Goku had been doodling. "And we're quickly running out of white paint."

Nodding, Goku lifted his fingers away from the red plate adorning Kuriza's head, stepping back to giggle at his handiwork. "Food."

"You're an idiot. With bad hair." Kuriza responded, gazing at the reflection in his computer's screen. Rolling his eyes at Goku, he tapped his fingers against the paint on his head. "Is that all you think about? And what kind of food requires that _all_ the white paint be used? We barely had enough anyways."

"They're teeth from some really big worms down by the forest. "

"Can we go now?" Kuriza questioned, turning to face Goku. "You can do your teleportation thing." Then something strange flickered over his face, features contorting from excitement to deep suspicion but then it was gone in the blink of an eye. So fast that Goku thought he may have imagined it.

Goku shook his head, remembering the immense size of the beasts he had fought. Their power levels were far too high for Kuriza. "It's dangerous." He said, noting the disappointed flash on Kuriza's face, "Later I can-"

"Oroitz are you there? Oroitz?" That was Dodoria's voice over the scouter.

Goku looked at Kuriza; the boy's face had hardened again. Sighing, he picked up the scouter. "Hey Dodoria. What's up?"

"Isn't your shift done yet?" Dodoria questioned him, voice robotic in Goku's ear, "Zarbon said you were supposed to be done an hour ago."

Goku glanced at Kuriza. The boy had sat down again, picked up one of the brushes and was painting with the colors they had left. The rest of the room was in a mess, paint on the floor, on their faces and armor and even on his hair. Kuriza was pointedly not looking at him, the muscles in his arms bulged in his attempt at indifference. "I got held up." It wasn't the smoothest lie but Goku wasn't a liar anyways.

There was hesitation in Dodoria's tone. "Listen, I need to ask you a favor. Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure." That was a strange request. What could Dodoria possibly want? He shot a questioning look at Kuriza but the boy merely shrugged, still looking away. "What do you need?"

There was a sigh, like Dodoria was rethinking his request but after a moment he said, "I've got a massive shipment of cutlery and plates. Dumb bastards made a mistake and there is no way we can fit the stupid crate through the doors without unpacking the entire thing and we need to have all of it ready by tomorrow, before the guests arrive. Does your Instant Transmission work on inanimate objects too?"

Goku nodded though Dodoria couldn't see. "Yeah."

"Then get your ass here, this thing won't move itself." The audio feed cut to a familiar buzz, signaling that Dodoria had turned it off. He didn't even wait for a response.

"Kuriza," Goku began, kneeling by the boy, "I'll be back as soon as I'm done, so don't waste all the paint."

"You're going to go like that?" Kuriza turned a skeptical eye on him and Goku looked down as his armor, splattered with paint. Courtesy of Prince Kuriza. "You've got paint on your hair too."

"Oh man, how am I supposed to go like this?" He couldn't appear in front of Dodoria looking the way he did without raising any serious questions.

Standing up, Kuriza pointed to the door that led to his bath. "I think my soap can get most of the paint out."

Goku made a beeline for the bathing chambers. Thankfully, Kuriza's soap was more than adequate and coupled with the scrub-like sponge he had, it took Goku less than five minutes to get most of the paint off his armor and gloves. There were still a few flecks in his hair but they could be overlooked, the majority having been washed away.

Kuriza had been standing by the door, arms crossed. "When will you be back?"

Goku finished tying his ponytail into its now customary style, "When I finish with Dodoria's things I guess. Why?" He powered up slightly, enough to dry himself and not register on the scouters.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kuriza's tail tapped against the floor, agitated.

Goku shook his head. He had his scouter, he had his armor and-

"My permission," Kuriza hissed, "You can't just leave without my permission!" He spared a glance at the papers, "And you need to clean up." The place was a mess; water and paint everywhere, including the badly drawn lines on Kuriza's head. The boy seemed to realize it when Goku giggled and frowned, the haughty effect of his words completely ruined. Sighing, he waved a small hand, "Just go."

"I promise I'll do it when I get back." Goku reassured Kuriza, placing two fingers against his forehead. "See ya!" Barely seeing Kuriza's hesitant wave, he flickered away and landed in front of Dodoria, startling the rotund alien.

"What the hell-" Dodoria nearly fell, managing to shoot out his hand against a similarly shocked servant's shoulder, righting himself. "How about some warning?" Leaning forward, Dodoria's face scrunched up in confusion, "And why the hell do you small like jasmine?"

"Sorry!" Goku sniffed himself, grinning sheepishly. Kuriza did have odd taste in soap.

Thankfully, Dodoria let it go, rolling his eyes and pointed at a gigantic, box of some sort. "That's the crate in question." Then he turned and pointed to a measly gate, roughly a third smaller than the shipment. "And those are the doors we're supposed to get them through."

Goku's eyes popped. He thought that had been a wall! "You need me to move _that?"_ He chuckled nervously, staring all the way up. That thing reached the ceiling! There was definitely no way it would fit through those gates. Dodoria hadn't been kidding about the screw up. "Is there even a room big enough for that?"

"Not too bright aren't you?" Dodoria's sarcastic chuckle cut through his astonishment. He placed his fists against his round hips, joining Goku and staring at the crate. "The reception hall is five, no, I think eight times bigger than this room."

Goku blanched. Wow. "So, uh, where do you need to move this thing?"

"There's a stocking room right next to the kitchens. Damn idiots didn't think about how we were going to transport the damn thing. We're already behind schedule and," he lowered his voice, leaning inwards towards Goku, "we can't have Frieza getting wind of this. All of this was supposed to be done yesterday." He crossed his arms, "So hurry up. The more time we waste, the bigger the chance of discovery."

Nodding, Goku stepped towards the shipment and placed one gloved hand against it. He knew where the stockroom was, just beside the cold storage, separated by four inch thick steel walls. Goku could thank Kuriza for sending him on errands to the kitchen every several hours on the first day. Get him some ice cream then some soda and then some cake and on and on until the cooks there actually learned his name. At least he sometimes got a bite before delivering the food.

Dodoria placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm coming too." He raised a cautionary look at Goku's fingers. "Now don't go teleporting us into a wall, got it?"

They blinked away, Dodoria's startled grunt at the blurs of the middle dimension their only company for the second and a half long trip. When they landed, Dodoria's grip had become tight; a vice that Goku supposed should have been painful.

Glancing around, seemingly assuaged that they hadn't teleported into the floor or walls as he had feared, Dodoria released his death grip and stepped away. Immediately he raised his head, an air of calm settling over his broad shoulders and he turned a skeptical look at Goku, not a hint of the wariness that had plagued him less than a few seconds ago. "Thanks." He offered, almost hesitantly. It was obvious he was unused to expressions of gratitude.

Or maybe it had been beaten out of him years ago.

Goku grinned back, nodding in assent. "Don't worry about it. Is that it?"

Dodoria nodded, "Yeah, that's all. Damn bastard; you get to head back to the ship." He glared at the shipment, "With this entire backlog, I'll be lucky if I can get in an hour of sleep before I have to start up on the preparations again."

"Well, if you need any more help moving things…" Goku offered.

"I'll have you do it." Dodoria grinned, and then sighed. "Now get out of here."

Goku left Dodoria in the storage with the shipment, the alien already ignoring him in favor of calling servants in to help unload whatever was in the crate. In actuality, he was grateful that those sorts of things didn't fall on his shoulders. Dodoria may look less than intelligent but he wasn't Frieza's left hand man for no reason, just like Zarbon. From what Goku could remember of Krillin and Gohan's stories, Dodoria was a merciless and ruthless killing machine. But then again, _everyone_ on Frieza's ship could assume that title. Frieza didn't give anyone a chance to be anything other than a bloodthirsty soldier. It was probably a stretch of the imagination but Goku would put good food that Dodoria would have been a completely different person had it not been for Frieza.

Zarbon too. Maybe even Vegeta though Goku supposed that much of the Prince's killer instincts came from their Saiyan blood rather than external manipulation but there was no doubt that Frieza ruined many lives and not just those whose planets he exterminated. His destruction reached much farther than simple genocide. As if that weren't bad enough.

And one of victims was his own child, Kuriza. Speaking of which, hopefully he wouldn't be too cross at Goku for leaving. It had barely taken him a few minutes to go and come back.

Reaching Kuriza's chambers, he made sure there was no one to head and knocked several times loud enough to resound through the small room. "It's Oroitz, I'm back."

He waited and several minutes passed. No answer.

"Kuriza?" He rapped on the Prince's door again. He couldn't sense Kuriza's Ki in his room or anywhere in the castle for that matter. Panic settled in his stomach and desperately, he fanned his senses, searching the entire palace grounds. Nothing. Where was he?

He extended his awareness, trying to locate the boy. Where had he gone? Suddenly there was a familiar tingle, the unique Ki of Kuriza manifesting somewhere in his mind but it was the presence of another Ki, much larger than Kuriza's that had Goku teleporting to just outside the castle grounds.. "Kuriza?" He cried into his scouter but there was nothing other than the silent buzz. Kuriza hadn't taken his scouter.

Damn it! He was in the forest! Why? Then it snapped into place, the questions about the paint, the request that they go into the forest to retrieve more teeth…But…Kuriza had to have known that the creatures there, especially the worms he needed to kill, were far, _far_ stronger than he was! If the strongest beast there maxed out at fifty five thousand, then Kuriza's power barely peaked at forty nine thousand.

He was in danger.

Goku focused on Kuriza's Ki, isolating it from the other ones nearby and in the direct vicinity, focusing on its unique sensation. He didn't even have time to place his fingers on his forehead before he was blinking away.


	24. The Biggest Test of All

Hi everyone! It's been forever since I've updated and I am going to blame it ALL on Kuriza. Writing children is difficult because you have to remember that they're not as simple as you think but they're also not as smart. However, I make exceptions for Kuriza because he's alien and also Frieza's child!

And now, onto Chapter 24 of Dream of Yesterday!

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><p>Kuriza barely dodged the worm's dangerously acidic saliva, the mass spattering against the dark green shrubbery of the forest. The heat from the rapidly disintegrating plant washed over Kuriza, the acrid smell making his eyes water.<p>

The worm reared back, every movement a disgusting squelching noise. Its skin was desaturated shade of yellow, mottled with ugly spots and bits of moss and dirt. It was huge, gargantuan and had no eyes, just round holes that Kuriza assumed were ears. Its mouth was round, large enough to swallow him whole no problems, rows and rows of cracked teeth that were sharp as knives and probably just as painful. It gurgled, Kuriza recognizing the sound of acid slowly bubbling up its esophagus.

Kuriza's knees were shaking, barely able to hold him up and he could barely hold up his fists he was so scared. Why oh why had he left his scouter behind? Why had he so foolishly believed that he could be a match for these things? He was supposed to be better than everyone, stronger and superior and yet…Oroitz was miles weaker than Kuriza but he had someone triumphed over these invertebrates. If _he_ could kill one, if Oroitz could…then so should Kuriza. Right?

That was Kuriza had believed when he crawled through his secret routes. That's what he had mistakenly thought when he flew to the forest under the radar, following Oroitz's previous instructions. The worm's trails had been easy enough to find and he blasted it out, smoking its tunnels to lure it to the surface. Kuriza wanted to kill it and tear out its teeth, take them back with him and lay it out in front of everyone. These creatures barely qualified as sport for the others of his kind. If he could kill one, he would be like them. No. He would be _better._

He would drag the carcass back if he had to, all ten miles. If only he could make his legs move.

He was afraid, too fearful to look up and stare down the worm's mouth, filled to the brim with those horrible, horrible teeth. Kuriza's tail was so heavy and stiff it felt as if he was lugging around a ball and chain; dragging him down to his doom. Nothing had prepared him for this. Combat training had been just that: training and that in and of itself had been nothing more than a lame joke that was supposed to placate his family, lull Kuriza into a sense of superiority.

None of that was real, none of it. Kuriza embraced the rage, however small and insignificant it was and powered up, jumping away just in time to avoid dissolving in the following blast of acid. It was difficult but he forced himself to look down that mouth even though the rising fear almost made him choke. Bravely, he fought it off, staring the creature down as if he had the confidence to back up his bravado. It roared again and it was just enough to make every muscle in his body turn to mush.

Logic kicked in and that one lucid moment saved him. Jumping into the air, he blasted forward just as the worm barreled down and slammed the ground with its monstrously huge body, the size of the resulting crater made Kuriza cringe, sweat dripping down the base of his tail. Kuriza pressed his shaking palms together, gathering all the strength he could spare without falling out of the sky. Aiming his rapidly heating hands towards the bulbous body, he propelled it forward with everything he had.

It made impact, smoke filling the air and blinding Kuriza. He was panting, barely aloft but he grinned at the prospect of victory. But his elation was cut short when the smoke cleared and revealed the worm –obviously alive and more furious than ever- aiming its mouth at him once more. Kuriza's hands fell to his sides. Listless, he began to drop out of the air, falling lower and lower until he was even with it.

The worm gurgled again, the squelching sound almost deafening to his ears.

Kuriza choked back a helpless sob. How could he have put so much faith in such a monumentally stupid, ridiculous idea? From where had he summoned the courage to believe that he could take such a creature on and emerge alive, much yet victorious? Why had he just ignored reality when it had been in front of him this entire time? He was a failure, a defect and it was time he resigned himself to the facts, ugly as they were and there was nothing, nothing that could change them. Kuriza closed his eyes.

Now he would die here and everyone would be better off without him anyway.

"Kuriza!" There was a frantic cry, the voice of someone close by, someone that Kuriza recognized.

Kuriza snapped his eyes open and he mustered the dregs of his strength, fumbling in the air fast enough to avoid the bulk of the worm's blast. Several flecks of acid splattered against him and Kuriza hissed in pain, crying out and closing his eyes as they teared up. Opening them, vision blurry and warped, Kuriza desperately tried to locate the source. "Oroitz?" He cried out, searching frantically for the stupid ponytail of his bodyguard. Plunging towards the rocky terrain, he landed with a hard crack, the armor his father gifted him with all but broken and laying in pieces around the field. Spotting him, Kuriza lurched forward, cursing when he realized that he had no more strength. "Oroitz! Help me!

The bodyguard was floating languidly, far above the span of red leaves of the forest.

"Help me!" Kuriza ordered, blood dribbling down his lip. His arm burned so badly, he could barely see and Kuriza clutched at it, crawling forward.

Oroitz was staring at him and Kuriza couldn't see his eyes, hidden under his unruly bangs. Then he turned, heading towards a nearby cliff.

"OROITZ!" The cry was far too pleading but Kuriza took no notice, tears falling freely. Why was the man disobeying a direct order? How dare he? He tried to curse, to call again but he choked on terror.

Oroitz landed without a care in the world and settled into a comfortable position, legs crossed and leaning back. A callous look crossed his features and emptiness settled in Kuriza's stomach.

Kuriza coughed, the taste of blood like iron in his mouth. "O-Oroitz?" The question was so quiet he barely heard it himself. The acid on his arm almost blinded him with pain and the worm was facing him, looming like a polluted cloud. Those terrible teeth dripped with saliva, an endless tunnel. "Help me, Oroitz…"

"No."

The world around Kuriza disappeared and it was just him and Oroitz, sitting miles and miles away on that rock. Lifting his head, Kuriza looked up at his bodyguard, the man he had lowered his guard for. Why? Oroitz's distant figure was starting to blur away, his name passing over Kuriza's lips. Friend. Kuriza thought that maybe…maybe…but it couldn't be. It _wasn__'__t_. Why had he been so stupid? He believed that finally someone could….but no. His tail dropped like a dead weight and Kuriza turned his head to the rocky ground, stones pricking at his skin.

The worm gurgled a death knell, the sound of each muscles tensing in preparation to kill the prey. Kuriza gripped the dirt underneath his palms, clenching his good fist. He was finally where everyone thought he should be, face down in the dirt, waiting for his end like some lowlife scum that didn't deserve to live. How could he have every fooled himself into realizing different? It was terrifying but there was no way around it, Kuriza tensed his muscles and waited for the pain. This time he wouldn't be, he would die with whatever shreds of dignity he had.

"Kuriza!" Oroitz's voice cut through the darkness and Kuriza's head snapped up, illogical hope alighting every nerve in his body. Oroitz was still sitting, nonchalant and careless pose still relaxed and unworried. There was a bright smile on his face, lips stretching into a full grin…like he enjoyed the sight of Kuriza on the floor, begging for a painless death. Oroitz opened his mouth, "If there isn't a light at the end of the tunnel, make your own. Just don't break the teeth!"

What…what did that mean? It didn't make sense but it felt like a drink of cool water to Kuriza. Suddenly he had enough strength to pull himself to his knees. His body was still heavy but it was bearable. He still held his arm, clutching it amidst the crater the worm had created. Slowly but surely Kuriza rose to his feet, wobbling and stumbling for purchase; his vision blurry but no longer clouded with unbearable pain. Most importantly, he was still _alive._ Still _there._

The worm was still facing him. It was dragging it out, taking its sweet time and savoring Kuriza's apparent defeat but then…Kuriza saw _it._ The worm's throat was like a dark tunnel with no exit. No light at the end but…Oroitz said he could make his own, he could create one. He concentrated as best he could, focusing and could suddenly make out the difference in colors. Past the dark reds and burning blacks, there was a purple mixed too…acid, steadily and rapidly rising up its throat.

It was a bubbling noise he hadn't heard before, so drenched had Kuriza been in terror that he had not noticed. After Oroitz though, everything was silent and only the beating in his heart and the boiling hiss of the acid his companion. He wasn't strong, not like the others. Gods, Kuriza knew that. It had been beaten into him verbally for years, every day and every moment. There was no escape from the truth, no moment of the day where he could receive respite for his curse. His father had looked down on him, his classmates had laughed at him and everyone else pitied him…a dirty public secret. But no one, _no__one_, could claim that Kuriza didn't want to survive. He may be little more than an animal but he wouldn't die without giving it _everything_ he had!

The rise of power was vesuvian, overwhelming him with it's force and soothing all his pain both internal and external. He snapped his hands together, wrist to wrist and aimed despite the pain in his arm. It sapped everything from his frail body but Kuriza channeled all his remaining power into a ball of energy and aimed at the worm's mouth. He would make his own light.

A push and that ball of energy were flying away from him along with all of Kuriza's remaining strength. The compressed ball blasted straight into the worm's gaping mouth and made contact with the purple acid, hissing on contact, sinking into the liquid. It disappeared into the acid and everything around Kuriza froze, seconds passing like hours for that small moment that he waited.

Then the worm stopped, almost paused as if it were considering something. Then a shiver inducing wail of pain came from it, as if it were ripped from the very bottom of its soul and for one split second, all Kuriza could smell was the stench of burning flesh as the energy tore it apart from the inside. The worm went silent and then released one final, pathetic whimper before its flesh began to tear, blue rays of light exploding from within. Then it was raining charred flesh and acid, landing around Kuriza and littering the crater.

The forest reappeared around him, the reds beautiful and the wind a soothing melody in Kuriza's ears. "I did it…" His low whisper echoed around the empty valley, unbelieving. It was…this was a dream…it couldn't be real. But the pain in his arm was so very vivid and the smell that was burning his nostrils impossible to block out. Kuriza wouldn't wake up because this was _real_ and despite every plausible explanation that it _couldn__'__t__be_, he was living it. "I did it!" He said, louder and more confidently almost in an attempt to convince himself. The adrenaline rush that followed his outburst left his knees like jelly and Kuriza fell to the floor. He laughed and the sound was hesitant, disbelieving. Then another laugh followed, then another and another until he was prone on his back, helplessly bellowing in mirth. Even the pain that wracked his body couldn't destroy the feeling and the rush of success was engulfing him in an unfamiliar embrace.

He stared straight into the evening sun, already starting to set, the sky a cornucopia of oranges, reds and yellows. Had the sky ever looked so beautiful? Kuriza wanted to commit it to memory, the next time he painted with Oroitz.

Suddenly there was a shadow blocking the sun and slowly, he began to make out Oroitz's jovial features. The man knelt beside him, sitting amidst the strew pieces of the worm.

Kuriza giggled, raising his good arm to the sky. "I did it! I _did__it!_"

"I saw," Oroitz agreed, leaning back on his arms. He turned his head and flashed a smile more brilliant than the sun, "It was amazing!"

Raising himself up, Kuriza placed on hand on Oroitz's armored shoulder. Unable to restrain himself, the Icejin began to speak quickly, almost babbling. "Did you see the way it exploded? I thought I was almost unsuccessful but then…BOOM!" He laughed and the stupid grin that was plastered on his face wouldn't go away. Looking towards the setting sun, Kuriza sighed.

"How's your arm?" Oroitz asked, standing up and dusting his thighs.

Kuriza looked at his arm, noting the small burns and flexing his muscles. He winced. The burns looked bad, but in reality the sight was much worse than the actual pain, almost nothing. Retrospectively, he must have gotten worse injuries during the times he had attempted to block a classmate's energy attack. There was no way these small wounds could have been that painful but Kuriza had been so terrified they seemed to have been fatal at the time. "It's ok," he acceded, "It burns a little." Embarrassed at admitting such a thing, Kuriza sped to stand up and tried not to favor his injured arm but he wobbled, unable to right himself.

Oroitz held a hand out and before Kuriza could stop himself, his own small, bruised hand reached out and grabbed it, holding tightly. Immediately letting go, Kuriza spread his feet and tried to balance himself but it was no use. His knees still felt like putty rather than bone and muscle. This time, before he fell, Oroitz caught him by the shoulders and to Kuriza's indignant surprise, held his sides and _lifted_ him.

Kuriza protested, however before he could fully voice his displeasure, he found himself sitting atop Oroitz's broad shoulders. The man's stupid hair brushed against his chin and Kuriza tapped his tail against Oroitz's back in irritation. "What do you think you're doing?" Oroitz's hair tickled his jaw and Kuriza shifted to a more comfortable position. Then he stopped, realizing what he had been doing and snarled, "Let me down you oaf! I can't even see past your stupid hair!" It was a lie but Oroitz didn't know that.

Oroitz began to walk, completely oblivious to Kuriza's displeasure, or simply not taking note of it. Kuriza threaded his hand through the man's ponytail and pulled, hard.

"Ow!" Oroitz yelped in pain, hands flying up to Kuriza's ankles and squeezing, "Just until you feel better!" He promised and a pained chuckle erupted from his mouth.

"I _am_ better!" Kuriza hissed and pulled again. "Now if you don't let me down, you're going to go bald!" Turning towards the worm's spattered corpse, "And what about the teeth!" The pieces were getting smaller and smaller as they walked towards the forest. "You're doing to just leave it there after I annihilated it?"

"Aren't we running out of red? The berries are nearby and we can go pick those. After, we'll come back for the teeth. The pieces are still poisonous and the acid last for about an hour so we can't pick them out yet."

Kuriza laughed, derisive. "You speak from experience, I assume?" Shrugging the Icejin sighed and pulled gently, this time to incite attention, not pain. "Doesn't matter. It's not as if you were hired for more than your fists anyways."

Oroitz stiffened under him, armor pressing against the underside of Kuriza's thighs. He let out a laugh that sounded more like a strained whimper and for some reason, it bothered Kuriza. It make his seat uncomfortable. How was he supposed to keep balance like that? If he hadn't ducked at that moment, Kuriza would have gotten a face full leaves. "Pay attention to where you're going! How long until we get to the berries?"

Oroitz stopped and let go of one ankle and pointed upwards, "There."

Kuriza looked up to see big, round, red berries with orange stems. "I love those," he said offhandedly, fondly remembering a cake he had once received on his birthday a long time ago. He picked one and squeezed it between his fingers, testing them before popping one into his mouth.

"Dragon Berries," Oroitz said, "That's what they're called." He was looking up, or trying to at least and the sight of him straining to bring his eyes upwards make Kuriza giggle around the delicious berry.

He picked another one and another, gathering as much as he could into his tiny palms. It was difficult to resist eating them so Kuriza didn't. One after another, he ate them almost ravenously and only a minute later, his hands were stained red. Licking his fingers, Kuriza savored the taste, unable to stop. They were so delicious, picked by his own hand and he was delirious with the heady flavor. It was so much more delectable when gathered, just like that, no cooking or preparation. "It tastes like the sun."

Oroitz stood there, letting Kuriza pick berries one by one and laughing when the boy dropped some on account of his overzealousness. "That that rate you're going to eat the entire tree! Leave some for me!"

"Then you should have-" Kuriza paused to pop another one in his mouth to make a point, "thought of that before you put me up here. What do I do with the stems?"

"You can use it to make orange but I think we have enough." Ah, now that he looked at it, these stems were the same as the ones they had ground to fine dust.

Kuriza thought of the sunset and looked upwards, past the blood red trees and to the orange tinted sky. "The sun is setting." Even in the thick underbrush, golden rays of light still made their way to the darkest corners. The Dragon Berries shone like fire and Kuriza soaked it in, not bothering to cover his eyes from the strange glare. There was never a view like this from the castle.

"Kuri…" Oroitz's voice cut through his absentmindedness and Kuriza realized he had been gripping far too tightly, pulling the man's hair with bruising, unnecessary force.

Kuriza released his grip, realizing too late that his stained hands dirtied Oroitz's hair. "Get the stems," he ordered, opting to withhold the information from Oroitz.

Oroitz laughed lightly, like a breeze, "I can't, I'm not the right height," he teased.

Kuriza rolled his eyes, "I'll admit, I walked into that one." Reaching up, he collected the stems and somehow found the willpower not to devour the berries like a wanton glutton. He would keep them for later, when his memory of the sunset would be the only thing keeping him company. He gathered all he could and soon enough, his arms were full of berries and stems. "Finished," he exclaimed. "Don't shake me on the way back because if you lose the berries, I'll make you go collect more."

"Don't worry, once we get back-" Oroitz began but alarm prompted Kuriza to respond before he could hold his tongue,

"No!" He didn't wish to return. He searched for a reason, hesitating. "The worm…" It was inadequate, but hoping beyond hope, Kuriza wished that Oroitz would somehow understand. The teeth popped to his mind. It would take their presence to prove that he had actually killed that worm. Kuriza couldn't leave without them but admitting it aloud…wouldn't be a good move. Oroitz already knew too much. Instead he shifted atop Oroitz's shoulders, idly wondering where they _were_ going. If he could just have a few more hours of freedom…

He didn't want to leave the sunset that eluded him in the palace. There were no windows in his room.

They arrived at the site. Pieces of the worm littered the barren crater like ant mounds, the bulk of the body in the near distance. The sight of the carnage brought a satisfied smile to Kuriza's face and the sense of satisfaction was so great, he didn't even mind the stench wafting towards his nostril. The first victory he had ever grasped with his own hands.

Suddenly, Kuriza realized that his strength had returned long ago.

Reluctantly, he floated off and landed right beside Oroitz. Eyeing the flesh, Kuriza scowled. "Has the hour passed yet?" He demanded.

"I think we have a few minutes." Oroitz answered.

"So?" Kuriza countered, "What do we do?"

Oroitz turned his head and started walking towards the rotting body, calling over his shoulder," The intestines make good bags when you dry them."

"That," Kuriza pointed out, "Is disgusting."

"Really?" Oroitz asked, as if he didn't understand what was horrifyingly repulsive about picking his way through blood covered organs. "We can wait in the cave after, it's getting dark soon and other creatures like to come out at night."

Kuriza averted his gaze, trying to block out the noises Oroitz was making. "What are you talking about?" he asked, confused. "What cave?"

"While you were fighting, I took the opportunity to make a cave. I was scared that it might be a bit unstable but we can camp here?"

"Camp?" Kuriza ventured, "As in, stay the night?" He didn't find it as bad as he let on. It was even surprising that to himself. Those of his status didn't _camp_ or survive the night on their own. A smart leader makes _others_ do the work for him. Kuriza couldn't imagine his father hunkering down in some putrid, makeshift cave. The thought made him frown. 'I don't know…" he began.

Oroitz smiled lopsidedly, appearing beside him, makeshift bag in hand. "It'll be fun," he assured, holding the bag out for Kuriza.

Kuriza dropped the stuff inside, grimacing. Well, they still needed to drag the worm's teeth back…so it couldn't hurt to humor Oroitz a little. "Fine," he consented, "But just this once."

Oroitz nodded quickly, grinning and motioned towards the direction they needed to walk. He didn't seem to notice Kuriza's slow gait and the Icejin was grateful for that. His strength may have returned but injuries didn't magically heal. In actuality, sleeping on cold floor held little benefit but at least it wasn't the spotless metallic floor of his room.

They reached the cave on foot, closer than Kuriza expected but the trip was made slower by vines and shrubbery. When they finally arrived at the entrance, Kuriza noted the burn marks and freshly made debris, dust still floating about and clogging his delicate nostrils. Kuriza fought not to cough aloud and passed Oroitz, pushing him aside with his tail to enter first. He was cautious, poking his head in and inching one foot forwards. Good, there were no bugs.

If there was anything he hated, it would be bugs. The last maid that hadn't properly cleaned the leftover snacks from his room had been appropriately dealt with after a particularly disgusting species of roach infested it. It took Kuriza weeks to get over it and after his examination of the cave, he was satisfied to see and hear nothing. There were a few worms here and there but that was inevitable, what with the recent creation of the cave. Other than that, there was nothing but charred rock and dirt.

Oroitz followed him in, completely oblivious or unaware of the potential hygienic issues the cave present. He was simply content with his work, gazing around as if he'd returned home, "Not bad huh?"

"If you say so," Kuriza answered. Studying the cracks in the ceiling, he examined the paths until he was completely sure the cave wouldn't collapse on them any moment. He couldn't particularly spot the dignity in digging oneself out of rubble.

Oroitz knelt, "We need a fire."

"No," Kuriza admonished and leaned over him, "We need wood. Go get some."

"Do you want to come?" Oroitz offered, silently agreeing with the small alien.

Kuriza scoffed, crossing his arms over battle scarred armor. "And get dirtier? I don't think so."

The laugh annoyed him less than it should have. "If you're sure…" Oroitz said.

"I'm sure." Kuriza confirmed but realized there was no clean place to sit. Sighing, he watched Oroitz's disappeared back and found himself alone in the dark cave. It was damp but otherwise not as uncomfortable as Kuriza would have initially though. The place was obviously bare and Kuriza sighed. Apparently, he had to do _all_ the work around here. Stomping one foot on the ground, the Icejin sat on the slab of rock that rose from it. A swing of his tail flattened the top and reluctantly, he sat atop it, waiting.

And waiting.

The wait was arduous –and he fidgeted in his seat, comfortable that no one could see him. It was pointless to regret his decision to remain behind. There was no way he would be caught picking up _firewood!_ He'd never live it down but… sitting like a statue wasn't a more favorable option either. Making up his mind, Kuriza hopped off and headed for the entrance, stepping foot outside. Oroitz was nowhere to be seen that in and of itself was not surprising. It had been a monumentally idiotic movie to leave his scouter behind and speaking of foolish decisions, he had been making more than his fair share these past several hours.

A bird flitted in his peripheral vision and Kuriza focused his annoyance on the small creature. In the blink of an eye it was on the floor, writhing in agony, its wing shredded and feathers littering the area around its frothing beak. Its eyes were glazed over, beak opening and closing pitifully while its yellow talons twitched in the air.

Kuriza raised a finger and aimed it at the bird's flailing body. One wing was torn away but it still clung to life despite the pool of blood growing larger and larger while its chances of survival grew slimmer and slimmer. It would die of shock if he blasted off the other wing. Smaller creatures were pathetic like that. He decided to end it, powering up again but before he could issue the blast that would end its miserable life, the ground beneath him shook.

Trees around him shook, giant trunks toppling over as the earthquake uprooted them. But in the distance, the trees were still and Kuriza realized with a start, this was no earthquake! The quaking was directional…almost underneath him. As he concluded that thought, the ground trembled and broke apart, revealing the large mucous expanse of yellow Kuriza knew too well. The Icejin hissed, every muscle tensing and he crouched, bringing up his fists. There was no familiar sense of fear, only the calming sensation of complete confidence. This worm was small, diminutive compared to the one he had triumphed over a few hours ago.

The worm gurgled and aimed but Kuriza was already out of the way, his body limber and rested from his earlier kill. A burst of energy propelled him forward towards the open mouth and Kuriza gathered his energy, waiting for the exact moment.

The worm surged forward in an attempt to meet the Icejin but it was only a matter of minutes before it was steaming flesh on the ground. The acrid smell of burning intestines assaulted his nostrils and Kuriza fought not to cough in disgust. However, the shaking ground did not cease as he expected, trees still shaking, boulders falling from the cliffs and animals scurrying out of their hiding places to run towards some sort of cover.

It wasn't over.

One by one, heads erupted from the ground and rose into the air like billows of smoke, completely surrounding him. Kuriza whirled, blasting back a short distance, assessing –as calmly as he was capable of- the situation. Thirteen, by his count. "Crap." He cursed, unsure of what to do, floating amidst thirteen large and angry creatures. He could most possibly…handle two of them. At best. The giddiness of the previous kill faded away, replaced by trepidation. He was beginning to shake again, tail dropping like a weight behind him.

He looked around frantically, "Oroitz!" The bodyguard was nowhere to be seen, probably still collecting wood. He growled under his breath, sweat dripping down his neck. There was a grumbling noise, too diffused and spread out for Kuriza to pinpoint. With a start, he realized they were _all_ aiming at him. He was such an easy target in the air…but the ground below was not a viable option, broken cliffs and jagged edges spiraling into dark, unfathomable pits. He dropped his hands. There was no way he could kill them all.

He was really…really going to _die_ here. "Oroitz!" He called again, his voice little more than a shrill shriek. It wasn't as if Oroitz would be of much use but his presence would bring an immeasurable calm to Kuriza. At least, he didn't want to die alone. "No!" Kuriza shook his head vehemently, he would not submit to those defeating thoughts. Powering up as much as he could, Kuriza screamed his rage to the air. He was a Kold, damn it! He would not die easily.

* * *

><p>Goku tensed, every hair on his body standing on end. Kuriza was in danger; he could feel the boy's energy dropping like a stone in water. He was amidst several large power levels and Goku wasted no time, blasting into the air, abandoning all the wood he had gathered. He focused on Kuriza's waning power level and sped towards it, cursing himself for being an idiot. The data pads had said the worms usually traveled in packs but Kuriza's elation at his first victory…how could he have forgotten such an important fact?<p>

He was closing in, but Goku could see Kuriza's tiny figure between the spaces of large, yellow pillars. It was drooping, the energy signal barely flickering in his senses and he had to apply huge amounts of concentration just to keep Kuriza's Ki at the forefront of his mind. Panic seized his stomach when Kuriza lurched in the air, barely stumbling away from another glob of acid. Kuriza wouldn't survive much longer, not at the rate Goku was flying and so he applied more pressure, more energy to boost his speed.

But damnit, he wasn't fast enough! Not in his regular form. If he wanted to get to Kuriza in time he would have to…Goku didn't think about it, simply felt, let the extra energy flow into his limbs. It was different than the last time he transformed. That had been a result of animalistic rage but this, this was completely different. The boost of speed was incredible and Goku savored his transformation, it had been a long time.

Kuriza's Ki butted into his senses and Goku roared, utilizing his energy in short bursts to increase his speed to incredible heights. He was atop Kuriza in seconds, grabbing the falling boy with one hand and extending the other, fingers spread and palm facing outwards. "Hang on Kuriza!" He said to the astounded boy in his grip. The aura around him intensified and he felt Kuriza flinch in his arms but he ignored it in favor of focusing on the worms. They were aiming again but they wouldn't strike this time. A burst of light erupted around Goku's golden body and expanded outwards, a field of light that struck all the worms at once.

They were all gone in seconds, barely a trace left of them in the aftermath.

Goku relaxed, exhaling and dropped his transformation. He glanced down at Kuriza, laughing a bit at the boy's wide eyed expression. "You did a good job, Kuriza. How many did you take down?"

"Th-three." He stuttered in shock, still hanging limp in Goku's grip. His small hands were grasping at the arm around his waist.

Goku frowned, noticing Kuriza's broken armor. There were various cuts, minor wounds on his arms and face, purple blood trickling down from his nose to cover Kuriza's small chin but thankfully, he realized that Kuriza was not as injured as he had previously feared. He floated down, landing on the energy charred ground with a wince. Maybe he had over done it.

Gently, he placed Kuriza on the ground and held the boy's hand until he righted himself, tail pushing against the floor for balance. Pulling his arm away, Kuriza quickly wiped off the blood from his nose and chin. A bit smeared on his cheek but Goku didn't point it out. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Kuriza ground out, wincing in pain. He rolled his small shoulders, moving his head side to side. It was obvious something was paining the child but he wouldn't admit it.

Goku knelt before Kuriza, examining the small cut on his neck. "Is this is?"

Kuriza jumped back defensively, pensive look on his face and averted his eyes. His hand immediately shot up, covering the cut and wincing at the contact. "No." Then he seemed to reconsider, "A…a little."

"Let's go get it cleaned up-"

"No!" Kuriza cried out, bringing his hands up, palms facing Goku. "I mean," He straightened up, crossing his arms, "I'm fine. It's just a scratch." Looking at Goku, he raised a ridge, "Where's the wood?"

He laughed, "Oh yeah. I left it behind." He looked at Kuriza, "Want me to go get it?"

Kuriza rolled his red eyes, huffing. "Obviously." But just before Goku teleported away, Kuriza jumped forwards, "I…will escort you this time. To make sure that you don't forget it."

Goku accepted the reasoning but he could see the shivers of fear on Kuriza's delicate face. He placed one gloved hand on Kuriza's shoulder and they flickered away, landing on the soft, downy grass of the forest floor. Goku grinned, looking around. All the wood he left was still there, lying scattered amongst the leaves. Letting go of Kuriza, he picked the pieces up one by one, stacking them atop his arms. When he was done, he turned back to Kuriza, who was leaning against a tree.

The boy was trying to look nonchalant but his injuries were bothering him. That…and something else. "Kuriza?" He questioned, trying to understand what was bothering the Icejin.

Kuriza glared at him from his spot, mouth turning downwards in an angry frown. "You lied to me."

Goku was confused, "What?"

The boy's tail slammed against the floor, rubble bounced into the air. He hissed, brow ridges scrunching together, "You _lied_ to me!" He pointed a finger to their cave, in the distance. "You killed them all, _without__even__trying.__"_ His voice shook, and he made to lunge forward by stumbled. "And then…you transformed…Why? _How?_"

Goku sighed, his free hand rubbing the back of his head. There was the unfamiliar sensation of hair between his fingers and with a start; he realized that his hair band was gone. Pushing aside the panic he forced his hand down. "Listen Kuriza…why don't we go back and set up camp."

Kuriza considered, stepping forward and looked into Goku's eyes. His scowl faded and he exhaled, "Fine." He shot Goku a scathing look, making the latter wince. "When we get there, I expect a full explanation. Do you understand?" Placing a hand on Goku's elbow, he looked up expectantly.

Goku Instant Transmissioned once more, landing in front of the makeshift cave. They entered in silence and Goku knelt on the floor, dumping the wood in the center, beside the berries. He didn't look at Kuriza, lining rocks around the pile. Flicking a small fire ball at the wood, he had it burning in seconds and it lit up the darkening cave in orange and reddish hues. Standing up, Goku made for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Kuriza demanded.

"Food." Goku answered and both their stomachs growled in unison.

Kuriza flushed and Goku let out a laugh before jumping towards the carcass of Kuriza's kill. Thankfully, several of the good pieces were still intact and thankfully, no longer acidic. His mouth watered at the thought of cooked meat and he gathered the pieces with gusto, not bothered at all by the sludge dripping down his arms and chest armor. Not forgetting the teeth, Goku picked them off the ground and dug them out of the worm's flesh. Satisfied, he returned to the cave with a glimmer in his eye.

Kuriza was sitting on a rock when he entered, tail tapping behind him and an irritated scowl on his face. When he saw Goku enter, his face went through a myriad of emotions ranging from astonishment, to anger and finally, to sheer revulsion at the sight of the worm's flesh. Rearing back, he gagged, "Are…are you serious?" At Goku's jovial grin, Kuriza groaned.

"On the bright side, here are the teeth!" He placed them before the boy and Kuriza stuck his tongue out, face scrunching at the offering.

Goku laughed and placed the pieces over the fire, watching them begin to smoke. Kuriza was watching with apprehension, inching closer and closer despite his obvious reluctance to admit his curiously. "It looks better once it cooks."

"Hopefully it'll fix the smell too." Kuriza plugged his nose, waving his free hand as if to ward off the horrendous stench emanating from the burning flesh. Then, suddenly, as if remembering his earlier irritation, Kuriza scowled. "And you," he looked pointedly at Goku, "have some explaining to do."

Goku crossed his legs, relaxing. He took off his scouter and placed it on the floor, shaking his head to get used to the lack of weight. "What are you doing?" He was surprised to see Kuriza pick it up and open one of its panels.

Kuriza fiddled with something, face focused in concentration. "Making sure they can't track us."

"How?" Goku asked, leaning forward to see. "What if you break it?"

Kuriza shot an annoyed look at him. "Moron. I'm just going to rearrange its signal array so that other scouters will be fed a false output. That should delay anyone who looks for a while." When Goku didn't respond, Kuriza sighed, still fiddling. "If anyone tries to locate your scouter, it'll tell them you're somewhere else."

"Oh!" Goku exclaimed, "So they can't find me." He crawled forward, watching the boy work in fascination. The look on Kuriza's face reminded Goku of Bulma when she worked on a project. "So you're good with technology?" There was a glimmer of hope.

"Don't change the subject." Kuriza growled, "Now start talking, what are you?" He picked at one of the wires, detaching it from its port and reattaching it to another.

Goku watched him work, organizing his thoughts. "…Can you keep a secret, Kuriza?"

Kuriza paused and looked up, then nodded.

"I'm a Saiyan." Goku admitted.

There was a pause; Kuriza's fingers stopped plucking at the various wires and buttons lining the inner walls of the scouter. "Excuse me?"

"From…Planet Vegeta? Do you know-?"

"Of course I know who the Saiyan's are, you dolt." Kuriza interrupted. He closed the panel to the scouter, handing it bag to Goku. He peered at Goku, looking him up and down. "Saiyan's aren't supposed to be like you."

"Like me?"

Kuriza struggled, looking as if he were searching for the right words. He opened his mouth once, and then seemed to reconsider. Finally, he settled on "Your strength." Then realizing something, Kuriza asked, "Are you a mutant, like the Ginyu force?"

Goku tilted his head back. "I don't think so." Several times, mostly during on Namek, that question had popped up. Certainly, Goku never pondered on that point and he didn't _think_ he was mutated. If he thought about it, Vegeta had also surpassed every limitation that the Saiyan race supposedly had and the Universe would explode before Vegeta claimed mutation as the cause. "No," He said with certainty, "I'm not mutated."

Kuriza didn't look convinced at all but he didn't comment any more on the matter.

Goku picked up the burning flesh off the spit, smelling it. His stomach grumbled and he even noticed Kuriza looking less disgusted at the prospect of worm flesh than he had been an hour ago. He took a large bite, the flesh crunchy in his mouth and _delicious._ Goku couldn't contain a groan of pure delight, digging in with fervor. Offhandedly, he tore off another chunk and offered it to Kuriza.

The boy took it hesitantly, his face contorting into strange expressions.

"It's hot!" Goku warned and he was rewarded by a glare from Kuriza.

Defiantly, Kuriza bit into the meat and immediately squealed around the flesh in his mouth. He said something. It was muffled but from the way his eyes were tearing up, Goku knew what he was trying to convey.

He laughed around his food, "Told ya!"

Kuriza glared through his watery eyes, forcibly swallowing the meat despite the pain it caused him. A moment later his eyes lit up, "This is good!"

Goku answered that by taking another large bite and the entire slab of meat was gone in a few minutes. He grabbed another piece and that one was gone just as quickly. Kuriza was staring at him, barely halfway through his own piece.

They ate in relative silence. Kuriza had put off questioning in favor of consuming his meal, hunger apparently taking priority over interrogation. It provided Goku a good moment to think, something he didn't usually do while eating but circumstances called for a change of pace. First, he had his hair to think about. The initial panic faded when he realized that Kuriza had never seen him in his timeline but his transformation into Super Saiyan had him worried even as he bit into his umpteenth piece. Did Kuriza know what a Super Saiyan was? Even more importantly, would he venture telling his father?

He could lie about it, but he didn't have a good explanation and lying didn't sit well with him. Goku didn't feel that Kuriza deserved a lie. He had been right when he had initially judged the small Icejin. He wasn't completely evil.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kuriza demanded, his mouth covered in bits and pieces of orange meat. He was looking at Goku skeptically, slightly crouched, defensive posture. When Goku didn't answer, Kuriza scowled, taking another bite. "Idiot."

Goku laughed, leaning back against the wall. He was still hungry but if he continued eating, there wouldn't be anything left for Kuriza. Silently, he watched the boy eat and waited.

Kuriza took the last bite of his meat; downing the final piece and throwing the wood back onto the blazing fire. He looked towards the cave entrance, staring at the dark sky. "It's night," Kuriza said wistfully. Standing up, Kuriza stretched and headed towards the entrance. The fire cast an orange glow on his back, illuminating all the small nicks and wounds he had sustained in his earlier battles. His armor no longer had both shoulders, only one and it was chipped and broken at the edge. He could see the pink patching of Kuriza's skin under the parts of the armor that had been cracked during the assault.

"Tell me something," Kuriza began, voice unusually soft and contemplative. "Why are you so strong?"

Goku didn't move, switching his gaze to the burning fire, admiring the play of colors in the flame. He didn't really have an answer to that question but nor could he just say he simply _was._ "I wanted to protect those I cared about. I wanted to push my limits."

Kuriza was silent at that, his back still firmly turned to Goku but there was something inherently unsure of his posture. He looked so much like Frieza from that position but he was missing that something that made Goku's skin crawl and his insides twist with hatred. "I am my father's offspring. The rightful heir to the Kold Holdings."

Goku stiffened.

"And yet I could hear their laughter behind my back. I could feel their thinly veiled jeers and jibes. I wasn't _good__enough,_wasn't _strong_ _enough_. I was _**defective.**_**"** The last words were bitter, spat out like rotten food. His tail twitched and stiffened like a rod and then relaxed again. Kuriza's voice was soft again, a hint of defeat underlining each word. "I triumphed here, today. The beasts which serve as amusing sport to the rest of my kind far out-power me. It was a testament to my defective genes, a failure considering whose child I am but I _killed_ them."

Goku listened, unsure of what to say. How long had Kuriza carried this around with him?

Kuriza's head tilted slightly so that Goku could barely see his profile. His delicate chin seemed to quiver but perhaps it was just the flickering firelight. "But! Even in my, my _moment_ of glory I was overtaken. First by the pack of slimy invertebrates and then…" He fully turned; red eyes furious, "_You,__Oroitz._"

"I-" Goku began but Kuriza would have none of it.

The boy stalked forward, his small frame shaking in uncontrollable rage, "You...you ruined _everything!__"_

Goku was on his feet, "Hey! That's not fair! I saved you!" He winced at his own words and Kuriza looked hurt.

"Oh _yes,__" _Kuriza spat, sarcasm dripping from his every word, "Why don't we save the weakling?"

"That's not it!" Goku countered.

Kuriza hissed like a snake, tail curling around his ankles, "Then what is it? What, you wanted a heroic entrance to showcase your power? Save the failure in hopes of being recognized in my father's ranks?"

Goku bristled, his entire body going rigid. "No!"

"Then _why?_"

There was a pregnant pause, both of them standing and staring at each other. Goku was the first to back down, lowering himself to sit once more. Sighing, he leaned back and let his head hit the stone wall.

Kuriza was still standing, tail curled and fists clenched. His shoulders trembled and his mouth twitched, face flickering between ire and uncertainty. "Aren't you going to answer?"

"Because…" Goku began, looking Kuriza in the eye with as much honesty as the boy deserved, "I…" When Kuriza flinched unexpectedly, Goku fought not to look away. Kuriza deserved nothing less than absolute honesty. "The pack had been an unfair advantage." He explained.

The boy relaxed but his eyes positively screamed caution and distrust.

Goku felt as if he were dealing with a frightened, injured animal, backed into a corner; viciously trying to adapt and survive. He didn't know how to deal with it. He felt uncomfortable, his suit too tight on his body and the drying slime on his armor started to reek. Gohan had rarely fallen into fits of rage outside of battle. Kuriza was not so different from Gohan in regards to intelligence; he was agile, adept with technology and fiercely competitive. But also unlike Gohan, he had severe complexes, ones which Goku couldn't even begin to touch on.

There was stillness in the air, only the crackling of the fire interrupting the silence. Kuriza seemed to be pondering his words. Then he seemed to slouch in confusion, "Why are you like this?"

"Like what?"

Kuriza seemed to slouch further. His eyes flickered from the fire to the entrance, as if he were devising an escape route. Perhaps he was. Giving up, he turned and waved his arms in the air, frantic gestures and panicked posture, "Good is weak. The Victorious are strong. The Strong are merciless." He turned so quickly Goku jerked. "And yet here you are: Good, strong, merciful, _Victorious._ It makes no sense."

"Being kind and being strong don't have to be separate."

"Being good is for those who have no other prospects, Oroitz!" Kuriza snarled, "Friendship and kindness and _mercy_…What good are those things? Why would the strong need such worthless liabilities?" His voice cracked like brittle glass.

"They're not liabilities, Kuriza." Goku tried to explain, but it was difficult. He had never thought of these things before, they had come to him naturally. Goodness and strength, they were connected, interlinked and intertwined so closely it was impossible for him to fathom how one could be without the other. He had faced such pure evils; Frieza, Cell, Buu and then Omega Shenron and so he had seen that power _could_ be achieved separately but he had triumphed over them all. It couldn't simply be his Saiyan heritage, he couldn't accept that. Why had so many others of his kind fallen when he and Vegeta had prevailed? Goku struggled to find the answers when he had none.

Panicked, he looked up and saw Kuriza's disheartened gaze as it bored into him. The boy wanted answers just as badly as he but there was desperation in Kuriza's eyes, a spike in his Ki that was all nausea and confusion and it passed onto Goku, a knot forming in the Saiyan's stomach.

"The first time an alien came to my planet, he took my son." The cave around him disappeared and there was the familiar smell of Earth grass, soil and blood. Piccolo was at his side, torn and bleeding, standing by Goku's side despite the fierce mistrust and dislike he held for the Saiyan. Goku was injured as well, barefoot and vision swimming in pain but he was determined to win his son back. "I fought him with someone who had been my enemy up until that moment." Sighing, he looked down at his hands, suddenly ungloved in his memories. "He was so much stronger than both of us, we…barely made it out alive." He didn't mention that his death. Then Radditz disappeared, and in his place appeared the androids, then Cell, Buu and finally, Omega Shenron.

He fought against all of them, reliving each punch, each kick and painful blow that made him dizzy with nausea and clouded his vision with blood. "It hurt so much, I could barely breathe but none of them wanted to give up."

Kuriza gaped, "Give up? You showed them _mercy?_"

Goku nodded, "But none of them accepted."

"Why?" It was a loaded question.

Goku thought about it for a moment. "I think, it's because no matter where I go, I want to protect. However strong I get…I can't stop loving people."

The fire crackled between them, slowly dying away and leaving them in the dimly lit interior of the cave. Goku didn't know how long the silence lasted but soon enough; the fire was just a pile of smoldering coals, glowing orange and blue in the darkness. Now only the stars and the moon lit up the cave and Goku could see only half of Kuriza's pallid face, made all the more delicate by his wide eyes and trembling chin.

He stepped forward, one foot after the other until he was standing right in front of Goku. He collapsed forward on his knees, almost startling the Saiyan and Goku reached out to steady him but hesitated when he saw Kuriza was still. It was silent for several long moments, Goku awkwardly hovering indecisively between options but suddenly, Kuriza was looking straight at him with big, defenseless eyes,

"Even…me?"

Goku's felt as if his heart was being squeezed in his chest and; having difficulty breathing all of a sudden. He didn't know whether it was the pain of seeing another so lost as a person, or it was the ache of a father seeing the suffering of a child, his or not. Not dwelling on it for more than a second, he answered, "Yeah." It was the most honest and truthful answer he had given in a long time, ever since he appeared in this timeline.

Suddenly, a war broke out on Kuriza's face. It looked like he was torn between despair and some strange revelation but neither of those sides won and instead, his dark mouth trembled and a sob tore from his throat, summoned from the darkest parts of his soul. The dam broke and one sob followed after another until Kuriza's normally clear eyes were glassy with tears, rivulets streaming down his small, crumpled features.

Goku reached out and this time he did not hesitate. Taking Kuriza by the shoulders, he pulled the Icejin forward, heedless of the boy's halfhearted attempts to push him away. His small bruised fists, covered in cuts and scrapes, simultaneously pushed and pulled at his armor, wavering between the shreds of his pride and the inherent nature of being a child but eventually, he succumbed to Goku's insistent pull.

"D-don't…" He choked, voice hiccupping and small body shaking in Goku's grip but the Saiyan paid him no heed, doing the exact opposite by pulling him closer and enveloping Kuriza in the fiercest hug he could. The quivering body began to quake, sobs coming harder and barely stifled whimpers becoming full blown cries of anguish. Kuriza's fists opened and grasped at Goku's armor, holding onto him for dear life as he wept into the crook of the Saiyan's shoulder.

Goku simply held on, unsure of how to proceed but still rocking, a move half borne of instinct and half copied from watching Chichi. Chichi had always sung a lullaby or cooed to Gohan or Goten and Goku didn't dare do either of those but whatever he _was_ doing seemed to do the trick, placating Kuriza. Eventually, the tremors died away to quiet sniffles and Kuriza curled into his embrace with a quiet hiccup. Goku leaned back fully against the rock, pulling Kuriza with him. The boy gave no protest, apparently comfortable with the position he was in.

For a long time, there were no sounds except for Goku's quiet breaths and Kuriza's almost silent sighs. Then after a while, the wildlife made itself known to the two and Goku's Saiyan hearing could pick up the chirps of insects and the other strange sounds of creatures he was unfamiliar with. Slowly, his eyelids grew heavy.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, Kuriza's nigh inaudible voice sounded, "Why didn't you save me the first time I ordered you to?" Goku remembered Kuriza sobbing into the dirt and something clenched in his heart.

Sleepy, Goku mumbled, "Because you didn't need saving."

Kuriza was silent after that and thinking no more, Goku fell into deep slumber.


	25. Public Secrets

Hi everyone! I apologize for the late updates but I _do_ have work every day (including Saturdays and Sundays) and so when I get home, I'm usually so tired I can't always dedicate a good amount of time to writing. Not to mention checking and rechecking…making sure everyone is moderately in character…Yeah, it's a long process so I thank everyone for being super patient with me. This is the final chapter that leads up to the Gala Tournament Arc and even though it's a bit lacking in action, I feel that it reveals a very important tidbit about the Kold family!

Recently, I have been PM-ed and asked this question in the reviews several times:

**Why is Goku without a tail?**

**Answer: At the very end of the GT series, when he reappears at the tournament and turns, walking away, he no longer has his tail. As to _how_ he lost his tail…your guess is as good as mine! This fact is also backed up by the Dragon Ball Z Wiki!**

Anyways on to Chapter 25 of Dream of Yesterday!

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><p>The morning had gone much better than Goku could have hoped for. The sun was shining, his stomach was full and Kuriza was uncharacteristically amiable given the previous evening's emotional outburst. He had woken up with the boy still curled in his arms, cheek pressed against his armor and tail wound around his biceps. He had stayed still for as long as he could but eventually, his muscles began to protest, having been in the same position for over ten hours. "Kuriza…" He whispered softly, but the boy only stirred, grumbling something inaudibly. "Kuri…Wake up." Goku tried again and this time he shifted, brining his hands up to Kuriza's shoulders.<p>

Kuriza's eyes drifted open and he yawned, groggily pushing himself up. "What the-? Where are we?" He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm before jumping away, a horrified look gracing his features. "Gross! What _is __this?__" _

Goku looked down in confusion, a sheepish grin stretching across his features when he saw the dried remains of worm slime all over himself. "Sorry," He offered to the Icejin, standing up, muscles screaming in relief.

"Oh god," Kuriza screeched, looking down at himself in abject horror. He was covered in the slime, probably having rubbed against it all night. He ran outside before Goku could warn him of the morning sun and there was another shriek as the bright light of the sun blinded him.

Goku couldn't help and peals of laughter erupted from his chest. He leaned against the entrance, giggling at the sight of Kuriza squirming in disgust and revulsion.

"What are you laughing at, you _idiot?__"_ Kuriza screamed, "How are we supposed to go back like this?"

"I know a place to clean off," Goku said once the giggles subsided. "Let's get our things and I'll show you."

Kuriza grumbled and glared but he stomped towards the cave without so much as a word of protest.

Goku grinned.

* * *

><p>The conference room was grandiose to most creatures. The walls were exquisite stone, chiseled by the greatest masters that could be bought, coerced or threatened. The curtains imported from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, hand sewn to perfection and hung over the large crystalline windows to drape all the way down to the marble floors. The large table that was the room's centerpiece was polished titanium, engraved with gold and embellished with gems of all kinds and sizes, twinkling under artificial lighting, brighter than any of the stars in the night sky but to the Kold family, such wealth was an afterthought.<p>

Frieza poured himself a cup of wine, an honor usually reserved for Zarbon or Dodoria. However, his company today was private, just a family gathering – so to speak. He raised his bottle in silent offering but his father waved it away, declining politely. Frieza set the bottle down with a soft clink; his brother had not inherited his father's genes in fine taste, a pity. There was little wonder as to why Frieza had been chosen as heir despite being second born, a decision that no doubt continued to sting his dear brother to this day.

Cooler's eyes flickered towards his grin and Frieza made no move to hide it, letting it sink into his elder brother before he raised his glass for a small sip.

"You haven't reconsidered, even in all this time?" their father suddenly spoke, breaking the still silence that had settled between Frieza and Cooler. Sighing, he leaned his horned head against one hand, looking dramatically unsettled. "It has been over eleven years."

"Really father," Frieza rolled his eyes, "You're so maudlin."

"Are you questioning father's advice?" Cooler asked, staring down at Frieza from where he stood. Unlike himself and Papa, the elder Icejin was standing with his back as rigid as the walls that enclosed them. Five years since he had seen his brother and not a single change for the better.

Frieza frowned but the momentary flash of irritation was swept away in the wake of his pity. "Sit down, dear brother," he ordered, completely aware that Cooler would do no such thing but the command would certainly rile him. Swirling the wine in his glass, Frieza sighed, "I do not doubt father's intentions. However I still bear the unfortunate…blunder of the last time I _acquiesced_ to such judgment, a decision made by _you,_ Cooler, if memory serves me correctly." The memory didn't carry with it the pangs of anger it used to. Perhaps it was distance; perhaps it was the fact that Frieza could look back on such a disgrace in a detached manner that it no longer made him want to soil his hands with a lesser creature's blood.

There was a grave nod from his side, King Kold's eyes closed in silent agreement and yet Frieza could recognize the flicker of perseverance. Really, his father could be so aggravating sometimes, assiduous to a fault. It was a trait he both admired and hated at once, the reason he was sitting here in the conference room discussing such an outlandish request. _Again._

"I understand," his father spoke, trying to assure him, tone soft and persuasive. "I give you my word that this time we will demonstrate a greater amount of caution." Kold shot an emphasized look at Cooler which the Icejin did not return, standing still as ice across from Frieza.

His brother remained silent, stoic as ever and the cloud of mild amusement that had draped over Frieza's shoulder at this laughable debacle quickly turned into barely veiled irritation. Perhaps he needed to remind Cooler where he stood, exactly, in the bigger picture.

"Father," he ventured, turning to look at the large Kold. "Perhaps you waste time on little old me." He kept his tone affable, "As _heir_ of the Kold Family holdings, would you not agree that only a female of the highest caliber is required, a female fit for an Emperor?" He emphasized his status, pointedly staring at Cooler blank face over the rim of his glass.

"Of course," his father agreed, a skeptical look on his aristocratic features. He leaned forward, unsure of where the conversation was going, "And it was an amalgamation of bad judgments that led to …" He waved a large hand in the air, gesturing at the failure without actually saying it aloud.

"Yes…" Frieza drawled, crossing his fingers in front of him, not bothering to veil the dark look he bore into Cooler, "…bad judgments." That had been a blow to his pride. How could such an abhorrent abomination come from a creature as mighty as himself? The answer to the question was frighteningly simple. _Frieza __was__ perfect_. Any flaws inherent in the child were not his cause, it was impossible. When the initial storm of humiliation and blinding rage had subsided, the female had been dealt with accordingly. The child was still alive of course; no one would dare accuse the Kold family of barbarism, especially towards their own kind.

"The hope of finding such a female from the plebeian masses is horrifically dismal." He sighed dramatically, shaking his head as if he truly regretted the thought. Then, he widened his eyes, as if coming upon an epiphany. He focused all of his attention on Cooler, noting the slight tension in his brother's shoulders with hidden glee. "Should we not instead focus our efforts on procuring a female for my brother?" Frieza asked with as much innocence as he could muster without breaking down into undignified chuckles. "After all, as _second __in__line_," he continued, smiling at his brother, "The standards need not be as…rigorous."

Cooler's eyes narrowed dangerously but his brother responded with little else.

Disappointed but by no means disheartened, he turned to his father who seemed to be considering his words most seriously, a pensive, hopeful look crossing his features.

"No." Cooler interrupted before Kold could speak.

"Oh come now," Kold tried, sighing in exasperation. "It would be good for the Family."

"What would be good for the family," Cooler began, a self satisfied tone creeping into his words, "is if Frieza produced an acceptable heir."

It took everything in Frieza's willpower _not_ to slam his tail into his brother's smug countenance. However, if he _had_ done such a thing it would have meant losing to his brother's pathetic game. "Perhaps my heir would have been…_acceptable_ had your normally unwavering judgment been less than questionable!" His voice rose towards the end, years of repressed rage beginning to awake again. It had taken many, _many_ bottles of the finest wine in the galaxy to drown out the dismal bleeping sound of the scouter when it had checked his…offspring. The bleak drop of his stomach when it registered a mere forty thousand and the _shame_…that had burned far too long for Frieza's liking – all those memories he wanted to keep locked away.

Frieza held no love for his elder brother but he also held no illusions regarding Cooler's intellectual capabilities. For whatever reasons his father claimed resulted in Kuriza's pitiful existence, Frieza didn't believe a word of it.

Cooler _didn__'__t __make __mistakes._

"Come now, you two." Kold started, "No need to get into minor quibbles."

Cooler closed his eyes, the first expression other than blank stoicism since they arrived, "Minor quibbles indeed." His voice held a tone of superiority that Frieza did not like.

Frieza scowled at his father's choice of words. His pride was _not_ a 'minor quibble.'

"So you will not reconsider?" Their father asked, more than a hint of optimism in his voice.

Cooler didn't bother to answer, resolute silence his only response.

King Kold sighed in defeat, "Very well. My, you two have remained so staunch on this matter. It's a pity but the time for you to reconsider will come, I suppose." He didn't look pleased as being refused yet again, but it would be a matter of time before their father deemed it appropriate to raise the subject once more- much to _both_ of his son's annoyance. There was the sound of rustling cloth and King Kold stood, towering over both Frieza and Cooler. With all the elegance that would be expected of the King and their father, Kold offered them both a thin smile and a wave of dismissal. "Then I shall see both of you this evening. If you would excuse me, I have some other matters to attend to." With a grand swish of his tail and cloak, Kold disappeared through the large obsidian doors at the end of the room and his tense dismissal of them spoke volumes of his disapproval.

But it seemed that this time, Frieza would escape unscathed from his father's emotional and traditional sentiments. The same could, unfortunately, be said for Cooler.

And so Frieza was left alone with his brother, only the silent clink of his empty cup against the table echoing throughout the room; suddenly larger without his Father's firm presence. Briefly, Frieza considered pouring himself another cup but that would imply he wished to further remain in Cooler's presence. Usually, he had no qualms of simply walking away; leaving Cooler alone to stew in his defeat but something was keeping him from standing and exiting. There was a vague feeling of irritation, like an itch he couldn't scratch, Cooler's conceited words constantly echoing in his head.

"Lord Frieza!" Zarbon's annoyingly panicked voice sounded in his head, the slight buzz of the scouter's line almost causing Frieza to wince at its suddenness.

Scowling, he stood abruptly, turning away from Cooler and hissing darkly, "What _is_ it Zarbon? What could possibly be _so_ important that it requires _my_ _attention?__"_ He practically _heard_ his Lieutenant wince on the other side.

"M-My lord, its Prince Kuriza and Oroitz! They're…they're _gone_!"

Frieza stiffened, "_What?_" His voice barely above a vicious whisper.

Zarbon audibly gulped, his voice wavering. "They're nowhere on the premises, Lord. Kuriza seems to be without his scouter and Oroitz's must be malfunctioning, the coordinates of his location are inaccurate." There was a terse pause before he continued, "Our best guess is that they are out of castle bounds, Milord."

"You'd better do more than just _guess_, Zarbon. _Find__ them __and __bring __them__ to __me._ Or it's your head, do you understand?" His voice escalated with his rising ire, the telltale signs of a twitching nerve beginning under his eye. Frieza cut the line before Zarbon could offer his petty agreements. Of all the things to happen _right__now_…

"Losing grip on things, brother?" Cooler asked behind him, voice bordering on affectionate.

Frieza turned slowly, the corner of his dark lips twitching upwards. "You forget Cooler; _nothing_ is out of my control." A single word from his mouth would decide the fate of a dozen planets, the fates of hundreds of civilizations. "I could crush the Universe in my palm should I choose to do so."

Cooler chuckled and the sound was so _alien_ that Frieza stood shocked, frozen in place for a fleeting moment. "Father will not always be here to save you from your own arrogance, Frieza."

Frieza bristled before smiling thinly, "Is that a _threat_?"

"No," Cooler stretched his lips in something similar to a smile. "Just a warning." His words were a dark promise, a certain future.

"I do not take kindly to your _warnings._ Do not waste your pathetic platitudes on _me._ I am _more_ than capable of handling whatever may come." Frieza responded, his lips beginning to curl downwards at the sheer _nerve_ of it all. Brother or not, Cooler was still second-in line. That he had the _gall_ to admonish Frieza was almost unthinkable but then again, there was ample enough reason that he was _not_ chosen to inherit the Kold's titles.

"Like Cerise?" Cooler questioned -accusation heavy on his tongue.

"A momentary stutter, nothing more." Frieza responded coolly, without missing a beat. It didn't surprise him that Cooler knew of the planet's destruction. News like that tended to travel quickly, especially among the lower strata of the crew. In fact, Frieza had a difficult time believing anyone _wouldn__'__t_ know of such a thing and it was terribly, _terribly_ predictable of his brother to bring it up. However, the…_intimate_ details of the entire thing were wrapped up; anyone not in his direct company disposed of. The humiliating debacle of being saved by a mere _soldier_…no one knew of that. He made sure of it.

Cooler wasn't the slightest bit convinced, Frieza had no doubt of that. His brother was uncompromising, refusing to budge when it came to anything, including convictions. Unlike the rest of the Icejin, Cooler did not employ a secondary form, nor did he wear the armor of his men. In some twisted way, Frieza could appreciate – even admire- his brother's unyielding nature but ultimately, such single-minded sentiment inevitably led to one conclusion, destruction. However, Frieza _did_ thank the fact that his ulterior motives on Cerise and the Aureolinium remained undiscovered by his stalwart brother otherwise he would never live it down. Other than that, whatever Cooler chose to believe did not affect him in the slightest. After all, in the end it would change nothing.

Satisfied with his brother's cold silence, Frieza turned away and headed for the same doors his father used, exiting the large room.

No doubt Cooler was already experiencing the overwhelming vastness of it without him.

* * *

><p>It had been a long time since Zarbon had really, <em>truly<em> feared for his life. Granted, his life amounted to nothing in Frieza's grasp, the overlord able to squash it whenever he should so desire but Zarbon technically hadn't really fretted over his prospects of survival for good ten or so years. The only form of solace offered to him was the fact that the entire guard was in a state of extreme panic. It hadn't been long before the initial discovery spread among the palace guards and then, inevitably, to the working class. It was safe to say the entire palace was in a state of silent uproar, no one would dare say anything aloud, especially in light of Frieza's…delicate temper.

Zarbon turned to Dodoria who floated several meters away, accompanied by five of the guard. "You search north and east. I'll head south and west, it'll be easier if we split up."

Dodoria nodded, narrowed eyes not belying the internal terror that was bubbling beneath the surface of his gruff, vehement exterior. "You heard him. Let's move. The faster we go, the more our chances of returning alive by the end of this week." With a wave and a tense look, Dodoria blasted off into the distance.

Zarbon looked at his own company, pointing at three of them, "You! Search west, contact me the moment you have them in sight. If you can, avoid aggravating the wildlife, you'll get killed. Go!"

Those he chose nodded and sped off towards the horizon, a trail of white in their wake.

Without wasting another moment, Zarbon gestured to the rest of his team and they flew towards the south. With any luck, Kuriza would still be alive.

And Oroitz? Frieza would be lucky if there enough pieces of the man left after Zarbon was done with him.

"There!" One of the guards shouted, pointing at the distance. "The trees!"

Zarbon turned his head towards the area, eyes widening when he noticed large chunks of the forest missing. That wasn't part of the natural landscape! "Follow the trail!" He cried out, flying low. There was a definite pattern in the uprooting, completely unnatural. Someone had gone this way and from the sight of the dirt trails, that someone really pissed off one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. A whole pack of them. "Hurry up! These are Queen's Tongue worm trails!" Zarbon needn't continue for the men exchanged nervous glances among each other. Queen's Tongue Worms were the most dangerous of the beasts dwelling in the forest. Zarbon knew that a chance encounter with one of them would be nothing to most Icejin but a pack would mean trouble; Trouble that neither Kuriza nor Oroitz would be able to handle. Hell, even if Zarbon were to encounter two or more…even with two others with him, the chances of making it out were slim. If one worm died, others followed. The prospect of finding them alive was looking grimmer and grimmer.

_Oroitz!_ He cursed, hissing under his breath. The wind screamed past his ears as Zarbon flew at full speed, cape whipping out behind him. If Kuriza was dead, then they were all done for! What had the man been _thinking?_ One task! It was one, stupid, fucking task and somehow Oroitz manage to screw it up so badly that _all_ their odds of staying alive were compromised! "Damn you!" He screamed, heedless of the guard that trailed behind him.

There! He could see the end of the trail, a large crater that looked like a scarred battleground. He landed with a thud, the ground under his feet cracking under the force of impact. Quickly, he scanned the area with his Scouter, scowling when it located nothing. There was battle here no doubt, the crater too wide to have been created by one or more worms. Their natural weapon was acid, nothing this destructive. He couldn't rule out the probability that Oroitz and Kuriza had been killed…probably disintegrated away. Terror ran down his spine like syrup but Zarbon ignored it through years of training. Panicking wouldn't solve any problems. If Oroitz and Kuriza _had_ been killed by worm acid, then there should be some remains. Hair…some skin, maybe even bones.

"Zarbon! Over here!" One of the men shouted, diverting the Lieutenant's attention. One was pointing at something, wisely choosing not to pick it up from the floor.

Zarbon ran towards them, kneeling beside the guard. "Battle armor." It was a shoulder guard, one only the higher ups in the ranks wore. It was no doubt Prince Kuriza's. He ran his fingers over the jagged edges, noting with grim relief that it hadn't been melted away. There was still a chance. "Spread out but be careful! We don't know if they're…" he didn't say it aloud but Zarbon knew that his meaning was understood by the men. "Whatever that got them might still be here. If you have trouble-"

"Zarbon! You there?" Dodoria suddenly spoke over his scouter, cutting Zarbon off midway.

"Yes Dodoria, what do you have?" He held up a hand to silence the two guards, turning to the side.

Dodoria laughed. It was a sound of relief that sounded too close to hysterical for Zarbon's liking. "You're not going to believe this, but I found them."

"They're safe?" Zarbon's voice almost wavered. "Coordinates?"

"Sending them now." Dodoria heaved a relieved sigh and cut the line.

Zarbon felt weak kneed but he ignored that as well. "Contact confirmed," he said, turning his gaze towards the Coordinate destination. "There's hell to pay, Oroitz."

* * *

><p>Goku knelt behind Kuriza, eyes cast downwards to the metal floor in hopes of hiding the involuntary shiver that was wracking his body. He didn't fear for himself –oh no-, his worries were solely focused for Kuriza's sake.<p>

Frieza stood before them; lean body silhouetted against the large computer screen at the end of the room, eyes narrow but uncharacteristically blank in a way that was far more terrifying than any external outburst. His mouth was pressed into a line so thin it was almost invisible and everything in the room was deathly still, save for the flickering lines of text on the screen. Suddenly, Frieza spoke. "Explain yourself," he asked, tone misleadingly affable. The corners of his lips twitched upwards but it was just muscles moving, nothing more. His eyes flickered towards Goku and Frieza frowned darkly, chest deflating in an agitated exhale. "Dismissed, Oroitz. I will speak with you on this matter, _separately._"

Goku stood, eyes almost glued to Kuriza's back but the boy didn't budge an inch. Goku almost grinned, noting with pride that even though Kuriza's energy wavered, it was no longer the nauseating rise and fall that he had sensed a day ago. The Saiyan left the room feeling confident in Kuriza's new found sense of self. Just as he exited the room, he found himself plastered to the wall, hand squeezing at his throat. "Wha-Zarbon?" He choked out, wheezing, hand coming up to grasp at Zarbon's wrist.

"_You!__"_ Zarbon hissed between grit teeth, the hand around Goku's throat clamping down harder. The Lieutenant was absolutely furious and his eyes flashed dangerously. "_Idiot!__"_ He increased the pressure with each word, "_You__** miserable **__bastard!__"_

Goku struggled, pulling on Zarbon's wrist just enough to let a little air through. Thankfully, Zarbon didn't notice the display of strength. "Zarbon? What-" He gasped, "What are you doing?"

Zarbon leaned closer, strands of vibrant emerald hair falling in front of hazel eyes. "Give me _one_ reason I shouldn't put you in the medical bay. _One._"

"I don't understand," Goku pushed harder, gradually increasing the force until Zarbon let up a little more. "What are you talking about?"

His confusion didn't placate Zarbon and the alien went an astonishing shade of purple, "Your little _excursion_ with Kuriza!" He spat, words clipped in rage. "Do you have _any_ idea how close you were to getting us all _**killed?**__"_

Goku's eyes widened and he exhaled in a rush, hands falling from Zarbon's arm. "What? I didn't-"

Zarbon let go of Goku's throat and the Saiyan landed on the floor, pushed back against the wall by his shoulders, the Lieutenant putting immense force against them. He leaned closer, voice dropping down to a whisper, "That's no excuse you dimwitted _ape._ Your orders were to make sure Kuriza stays safe, especially with regard to his special circumstances!" His hands trembled against Goku's collarbones, "You'd better thank the fucking _stars_ those Queen Tongue worms didn't…didn't…" Zarbon trailed off and his eyes widened, facial muscles relaxing into a look of complete bewilderment followed by intense skepticism.

"Zarbon?" Goku asked, wisely choosing not to move.

Zarbon snapped out of whatever thought he had been pondering, focus boring into Goku again. "I'm missing something…" He drawled, leaning away. "Just…_who_ killed those worms?"

Goku stiffened, mind going horribly blank.

Zarbon's eyes fractionally widened in suspicion, and then abruptly narrowed into slits. "_Oroitz__…_" The Saiyan's name was drawn out and Zarbon's digits tightened around his shoulders. "Don't you even _think_ of lying to me! You know Kuriza is-"

"Is what, Zarbon?" Kuriza's voice sliced through the air, interrupting whatever Zarbon was about to say.

Zarbon's face went rigid, his eyes filling with barely veiled terror.. "P-prince Kuriza." Zarbon stuttered, immediately letting go of Oroitz's shoulder to swiftly turn towards the small prince. Bowing, Zarbon kept his eyes to the floor, supplicating himself in front of the Icejin. "Forgive me for-"

"Insinuating that I am incapable of handling a few measly creatures? That I would require a lowly _bodyguard__'__s_ assistance because of…what was it? Oh yes, _Special __Circumstances._" Kuriza clasped his hands behind his back, chuckling at the sight of Zarbon going absolutely stiff at the words. "As for the creatures,_I _killed them. Is there anything _else_ you would like to add? I would lend you a shovel, but you are doing a remarkable job of digging your own grave, as it were."

"No, Prince. My deepest apologies." Zarbon amended; bowing so low his cape brushed the floor. There was a note of panic in his usually suave tone and there was a slight tremble in his knees, almost unnoticeable.

Kuriza rolled his eyes, leisurely strolling past Zarbon to stand in front of Goku. There was a familiar glimmer in his eye that belied his cold mask and Goku had to fight down the grin that was about to form on his face with the majority of his willpower. He had been worried at Kuriza's mention of special circumstances, remembering how deeply hurt the child had been simply admitting his own shortcomings, despite the fact that it was not something he could control. However, whatever happened in the room between him and Frieza obviously struck a good chord within the boy and he seemed unfazed at Zarbon's rash outburst.

Goku bowed lightly.

"I am relieved to see that at least a _few_ of the miserable creatures aboard my father's ship have proper respect for their superiors." He turned his head to an angle, one eye fixed on Zarbon's blank face. "Father summons you Zarbon, it is best not to keep him waiting."

"Yes, thank you." Zarbon turned away, heading towards the door Kuriza had just exited from with all haste.

Goku inhaled through his nose, shoulders slumping when Zarbon's cape fluttered through the doorway, metallic door sliding closed behind him. He shot a bright smile at Kuriza and was relieved to see the small boy roll his eyes almost jokingly. "I hate him." Kuriza referred to Zarbon.

"He's not that bad, once you get to know him." Goku offered, "I'm sure he didn't mean what he said."

Kuriza began to walk, motioning for Goku to follow. "Don't be fooled by that sycophantic toady. He'll eat you alive to save his own hide."

Goku shrugged. There was little doubt that what Kuriza said was true but…he didn't really know. So he changed the subject, leaning forward to whisper: "So how'd it go?" In truth, he was actually incredibly curious about what happened between Kuriza and his father. Obviously, it had gone well, better than he'd hoped. Stifling a giggle, Goku realized that if anyone had _ever_ told him that he was going to be present in helping Frieza and his son patch things up, he would have just stared and then laughed awkwardly before clapping them on the back and heading off to find food.

Kuriza huffed, looking absolutely indignant and Goku was afraid that he might have said something wrong. Certainly one night in the wilderness didn't make them best friends and he had this bad habit of forgetting that despite all other factors, this _was_ Frieza's son.

"It's none of your business!" Kuriza said, sounding slightly miffed. But then he added in a small voice, almost timid and hesitant, "He …he wasn't angry."

Goku smiled broadly, "Did you show him the teeth, Kuri?

"Don't call me that in public, you oaf!" Kuriza admonished, shooting Goku a sharp glare. "You're lucky the halls are empty right now. And yes, I _did_ show him." The Icejin puffed his chest, "Father was surprised too!"

Goku's stomach suddenly growled and he laughed at Kuriza's incredulous look. "Sorry!" He said.

Kuriza sighed, "It's been less than two hours since we last ate!"

"But there was barely enough of the worm left!" Goku whined, rubbing his stomach. "I don't even feel half full."

The Icejin groaned, picking up his pace. "Fine. We'll go to the armory and then I'll have some food brought up to my quarters. There is _no_ way I'm letting you eat with that slime all over you."

Goku's face nearly split apart with a smile so wide it nearly reached his ears. "That would be great! I'm _starving!__"_ He increased his stride, keeping with Kuriza's.

"You know what, Oroitz?" The question sounded smug.

"What?" Goku responded, momentarily putting aside thoughts of food.

"For once, I'm actually looking forward to combat training."

* * *

><p>Zarbon was tired, drained and even the prospect of a wonderful, amazing hot shower didn't do much to invigorate him. He groaned, being in a state of constant terror for over a day certainly sapped away any semblance of life out of a person. He barely had any sleep the prior night, tossing and turning, his life all but flashing before his eyes. Frieza had been in a horrible mood after the entire Kuriza fiasco and everyone was forced to tiptoe around the Icejin for fear of being killed. Now the damn tournament was only three damn hours away and Zarbon had yet to actually <em>get<em> to the arena, much less _prepare_ for the entire thing.

All he wanted to do was go to his chambers, flop onto the bed, skip all the skin/hair care and sleep but damn it all, he still had things to do. "Oroitz, come in." He spoke into the scouter, opening a direct line to the Saiyan's. With any luck, the man should have gotten a new one to replace the malfunctioning one he had earlier.

"Zarbon?" Oroitz's voice screeched over the channel and Zarbon repressed a yelp of pain, pressing his fingers against his temple. "What's up?" He sounded slightly worried, given Oroitz's previous encounter with Zarbon. The thought of the Saiyan sporting bruises around his neck brought a weak smile to Zarbon's face.

"Lock on my coordinates and IT, we still have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Oh um-" Oroitz began, stuttering.

"Not that you idiot." Zarbon interrupted. "It's the tournament. You haven't forgotten have you?"

"Oh yeah!" Oroitz exclaimed, the Saiyan's grin almost audible.

Suddenly, Zarbon fell backwards in shock as Oroitz flickered in front of him, landing on the long, vibrant mauve carpet of the entrance hall. He cursed, failing to maintain his balance and reflexively jutted out a hand that Oroitz caught. Zarbon was unceremoniously hauled up and he would have his hair shaved before admitting that he _let_ himself be pulled up like some sort of ragdoll. The lack of sleep was really starting to make itself noticeable and if Zarbon knew himself, then it was almost certain that on the wake of the next day, he would most definitely be sporting a pimple or two. "Warn me before you do that!" He spat, jerking his wrist out of Oroitz's grip.

The Saiyan simply smiled and Zarbon could see that there were no telltale splotches on the man's neck.

Zarbon scowled. "It's bad enough that you threw the entire palace for a loop yesterday! It's lucky that none of the guests caught wind of your little field trip."

"I said I was sorry," Oroitz offered, tilting his head. "And the problem was fixed right?"

Zarbon scoffed, running his hands through his short hair, wishing that it would magically grow back to its old length. "Fixed. Right," He quipped sarcastically, "You know where the Arena is, right?"

Oroitz nodded.

"Good. IT us there so we can start checking the rosters and make sure everything is in order for the tournament…provided that your injury is tended to." Zarbon ordered, placing a hand on Oroitz's shoulder, unable to stifle the small chuckle that burst from his lips when the Saiyan flinched. Zarbon could feel the distinct bump of medical gauze under his fingers, beneath the bodysuit that kept it hidden from prying eyes. He kept forgetting how dull witted Saiyans were, so horribly dense…and this one, in addition to not doing any justice to his race, kept _secrets_; secrets that Zarbon wasn't privy to, secrets that were far too dangerous and the Lieutenant wasn't anything if not extremely intelligent.

Being resourceful helped as well and Zarbon had bee-lined for the armory and the medical bay right after his audience with Frieza. His search had yielded several very interesting finds, like burnt armor that was not part of Kuriza's and some compromising wounds from stray acid that could have only resulted from direct combat with Queen's Tongues.

Kuriza hadn't killed those worms, despite the small Icejin's practiced bravado, too tight and filled with cracks to Zarbon's keen instincts. Zarbon didn't enjoy being _jerked__around_ and he hated being lied to.

He squeezed to the point of pain, enjoying the look of discomfort etched across Oroitz's face. The display of force was unnecessary; after all, Zarbon was still in possession of his trump card should the Saiyan prove to be more trouble than he was worth and the situation was quickly beginning to lean in that direction. The thought inspirited him.

"Maybe," Zarbon wondered aloud, "This won't turn out to be such a bad day after all."


	26. Honorable Defeat, Hollow Victory

Hello everyone and holy crap that was a long break! I swear though, I was swamped with work and the various requirements of my daily life didn't allow me to fully dedicate my time to writing! So thank you everyone for being so patient with me!

And writing a short, brutal chapter is much harder than it looks!

So here we are, Chapter 26 of Dream of Yesterday!

* * *

><p>Goku stood at the outer edge of the ring, hand against the railing that separated the combatants from the spectators. He was feeling unnaturally restless and it wasn't accompanied by the usual thrill he always felt before a battle. It made him fidget, look around for something but not sure <em>what<em> exactly. He could feel Kuriza's energy near the top lounges and it gave Goku a bit of respite, feeling someone familiar nearby even though he couldn't see them. It had been a long time since he had been in a tournament but the lack of familiar faces and friendly support was alien though Goku supposed at this point he should have gotten used to it.

"Nervous, Oroitz?" Dodoria pushed aside several of the combatants and leaned against the wall beside Goku. He crossed his bulging arms, staring straight at the Arena.

"A…little." Goku admitted, but didn't continue further. "Are you competing?" He asked Dodoria even though he already knew the answer.

The pink alien grunted, staring at the group of aliens that were methodically messing around with the wiring behind one of the panels under the floor. The screens suddenly flickered on and Goku watched a small, round, metallic camera-bot that whizzed by his head. "I wouldn't wanna embarrass all of you." Dodoria answered, chuckling to himself. "Zarbon and I are going to be enjoying gourmet food and wine while you poor bastards mop the floor with each other." Sighing, he shook his head, secretly entertained by something only he knew. His amused expression suddenly turned serious. "Listen, I know you've been told this is more for show than anything else, but-"

"What?" Goku interrupted, taken aback. "For show?" He asked, unsure of what Dodoria meant.

Dodoria sighed. "Figures you'd be the only one not to know." He gestured at the lounges, situated high above the spectator seats. "You see those booths, Oroitz?" The VIP booths were situated far above the spectator seats, looming over the arena, one way mirrors hiding their clients. "The big shots of the Gala are all gonna be there and they want entertainment." Dodoria peered into Goku's face, looking for understanding, but finding none he continued with another heavy sigh. "Dense as they come aren't you?"

Goku frowned at the insult, unsure of why it bothered him.

"Stakes," Dodoria clarified, looking at him. "You know…bets. It's actually one of the main reasons the tournament is actually held." He leaned forward and the look in his eyes became sly, a grin spreading across his pudgy face, "Wine and dine em, Oroitz!" Rubbing his fingers together, he chuckled at Goku's displeased face. "We give them what they want, make it look a little authentic and boom! Payday. Everybody's happy, especially Lord Frieza."

"So…we don't actually fight?" It was difficult to keep the disappointment out of his voice and Goku's shoulder slumped. Even the slight anticipation that had been building despite the restlessness was beginning to disappear in the wake of Dodoria's news.

Dodoria shook his head and almost laughed when Goku's face perked up. "Nah, you guys are gonna beat the crap out of each other, no show. _But -__" _ Dodoria stressed the word, "Don't kill anyone. Just knock 'em out." A wicked smile bloomed, "Though accidents _do_ happen. Makes me almost regret not joining."

The grounds were beginning to clear, soldiers moving towards the exits of the arena and into the waiting areas. Goku was silent, unsure of how to respond to Dodoria. Accidents? Even he knew it was a load of bull. Those kinds of things didn't happen, especially in the Arena. Not with Kold soldiers and not with a gala this big, an event planned for years specifically to make money.

"It's still better than the old tournaments," Goku pondered aloud and he was suddenly struck by his own words. Was this what it had all come to? Was this what he had become, content with the lesser of two evils? Goku almost laughed at himself, distinctly peeved at his own passiveness. However, there was a bit of respite knowing that the core of his morals remained intact. "Zarbon told me-"

"They used to be slaves?" Dodoria interrupted. He shrugged, looking completely unperturbed by Goku's unease with the entire thing. "Slaves are easy to replace. Good warriors aren't." He turned to Goku, "People want entertainment, Oroitz. Half dead bastards flopping around on the ring won't cut it for long." Nudging Goku in the ribs, he added, "And the rewards for the fighters aren't too shabby either."

Goku didn't share his enthusiasm. Dodoria was far too nonchalant regarding the previous tournaments; it soiled his mood, not all that bright to begin with. "It's wrong." He murmured, loud enough for Dodoria to hear.

"What is?" Dodoria asked.

Goku sighed aggressively. "It's wrong…to have slaves fight."

Dodoria rolled his eyes. "Now you're gonna be saying that having slaves is wrong too."

"It _is._" Goku confirmed, standing straighter. "We have to protect those who can't-"

Dodoria interrupted him, "Are you listening to yourself?" The fat lieutenant groaned, "I was not expecting this crap from you." He huffed, rolling his eyes, "Zarbon mentioned you had a soft spot for the lower class. Takes one to pity one eh?"

Goku bristled again and winced as the large, bright lights surrounding the ring suddenly flashed on. Momentarily blinded, he flinched but didn't let up. "If you want good things to happen, you have to be good."

The lights bathed the arena in an almost ethereal glow. Though the stadium was not the white of the meticulously cut marble he was used to, it was still a brilliantly polished sheen of metal (courtesy of Goku). He felt a small trickle of excitement, almost forgetting until Dodoria interrupted.

"You're damn crazy." He concluded, a chortle escaping from his striped lips. "And stupid," He added, laughing at Goku. "Being good never helped anybody and if you want proof, this stadium is it." The words lacked the bitterness, sounding like the words of someone who had long ago accepted his fate. "Anyways," he said before Goku could reply. "I'm going to get going before Zarbon misses me. Don't die out there; it'll be a bitch finding someone else who can teleport." He ambled away, disappearing into the doorway.

The Saiyan sighed, not surprised at the direction the conversation had gone but not surprised. He followed Dodoria in, aware that the Lieutenant had already probably gone to meet with Zarbon. The waiting room was actually less packed than he had predicted, seeing the flow of over a hundred or so combatants come through.

"Oroitz." Oh no.

Goku winced. "V-vegeta."

The Prince of Saiyans approached him, the throng of aliens parting to give him a path straight to Goku. Vegeta stopped short a few feet of him, the tip of his hair reaching the top of Goku's head. He wore his customary scowl upon his face, arms crossed and feet spread shoulder width apart. For once, Nappa and Radditz were not at his side, presumably still on the ship, unfortunate enough to have to watch the entire thing via the telescreens back on board. "I see they don't employ standards for application." Vegeta stated, looking Goku up and down disdainfully.

The insult passed over Goku like wind in his hair and he merely grinned, having missed Vegeta's black sense of humor even though the prince wouldn't understand why. His guess proved correct when Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. "Aren't you excited?" Goku asked, inhaling deeply. He turned towards the entrance, hearing the cheers of the audience that had been seated moments ago. His body practically hummed with sudden exhilaration and the anticipation of the upcoming battle was so fierce his fists trembled. He didn't even notice the change in Vegeta's face, the prince's expression warping into something unrecognizable before falling into place once more. Turning back to Vegeta, Goku couldn't stop the almost feral smile that spread across his face.

The screens in the waiting room flickered to life, cameras highlighting every angle of the tremendous stadium. The seats were full, the arena filled to the brim with aliens of various colors, dress and appearances. The cheers nearly shook the walls with the sheer force of their enthusiasm.

Goku clapped a hand on Vegeta's shoulder, lapsing back into the small span of time where he and Vegeta had gone from bitter rivals into something akin to friends. "Good luck Vegeta," He said, oblivious to the absolutely scandalized glare the Prince was shooting him. "Let's meet up on the ring. I still ow you rematch anyways." He was going to go see if he couldn't convince one of the guards to let him have a quick snack before fighting. Maybe he could catch Kuriza alone, persuade the boy to let him into the big banquet! Without another thought, he nearly skipped to the doors that separated the arena from the imperial hallways, leaving Vegeta standing alone in the crowd.

A moment passed and the Prince of Saiyans stared at Goku's retreating back, completely confused. "A _rematch?_"

What the hell?

* * *

><p>The Announcer coughed into his gloved fist, shooting a prize winning smile straight at the Cam-bots that circled him. He angled himself so that they could each have a shot of his good side –after all, he would be gracing the screens for a good amount of time. What did his mother used to say? Oh yes, <em>Charisma!<em>

"_Esteemed__ Ladies __and __Gentlemen!__"_ The announcer began. He spread his arms wide as if to embrace the audience and opened his eyes to see the stadium…blurring? Confusion was quickly followed by pain and the Announcer managed to whimper before his face met metal and everything went black.

"Out of the way, chump!" Captain Ginyu deftly caught the microphone and twirled it around in his hand. Satisfied the previous idiot was neck deep in metal, Ginyu faced the audience. Gripping the mic, Ginyu stuck a pose for the cameras and raised his hand, "Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I am your host for today's tournament: _**The **__**Spectacular **__**Captaaaaiiiinn**__** Ginyu!**__**"**_

The cheers weren't bad, actually. They thrummed the stadium and Ginyu felt his horns vibrate under the weight of their combined cries and applause. There was nothing he loved better than being center stage, with bright lights and everyone's attention focused solely on him. And what better center of attention could there be? It was true that while he was a bit saddened to be without his entourage, but Ginyu understood that their talents didn't quite yet belong to the big stage. Maybe next time and if all went well this tournament…

"First of all I'd like to issue a warm welcome and thank you for being here at the Kold Gala! We are deeply honored! This year, only fighters with power levels of over 10,000 are allowed entry, making for an exciting competition!" He had to keep this short; he could practically _feel_ Lord Frieza simmering in his proverbial boots. With the vast majority of his will, Ginyu put a lid on the rest of his speech and tried to ignore the irritation. He practiced all night Damnit! However, he didn't let his ire show, throwing a winning smile to the crowd and continuing, "Now before we get to the main event, I'd like to present this year's Super Special Awesome prize! The winner of the Gala Tournament gets a One Time, Exclusive, and Rare, One Way Ticket to the Ginyu Force!"

The cheers he expected came, raucous and loud, the metal beneath his boots vibrating as his keen hearing picked up the fighter's cheers even as they stood almost underneath the arena. This was good. The better the fighter, the better his force would be. As it were, they were coming up a bit short on the member list. Recoome was a good fighter, a bit slow on the uptake sometimes but even though he was craftier than his bulk would lead one to believe, Burter was really the only available backup. Thankfully, Lord Frieza had been more than accommodating to Ginyu's needs, no doubt seeing the potential gains in status and prestige he would receive should he have the Universe's most elite fighting force at his command.

With any luck, the tournament would prove a good choosing ground for the next member of the Ginyu Force. Worst case scenario, if the new guy was unfit to strike a pose, he'd just get killed off on the next mission.

The cheers began to subside and Ginyu took that as his cue to step off the stage in what appeared to be a graceful exit. Passing off the microphone to one of the confused assistants who fumbled a bit before catching the thing, Ginyu left the arena and headed towards the exit to climb back towards the VIP lounges. Maybe he could even ask Lord Frieza if he'd liked the performance.

* * *

><p>"You're fidgeting." Zarmine flicked a lock of blonde hair out of her face. Thankfully, the preparation rooms were starting to clear as combatants<p>

Solzt stilled, though he didn't realize he had been fidgeting. "Sorry," he mumbled, tightly gripping the ticket in his hand.

"You're doing it again." She repeated, shooting him a glare that was far less vehement than usual. "Stop. It's starting to get on my nerves." Her features warped, raising one eyebrow, "Are you nervous, lightweight?"

"No." Solzt clipped, mouth turning downwards in an ugly grimace. "I'm angry," he clarified, oblivious to the pause of footsteps in his immediate vicinity. There was a haze clouding his vision and a strange tenseness over his muscles, as if he couldn't relax them even if he chose to.

His squad captain didn't answer, choosing to sit beside him on the slim bench and lean against the wall, attention turned towards the screen above the doorway to the arena. Two oversized behemoths were engaged in battle, one more bestial than the other, snouts bared and fists caked with blood. Both sported wounds on their persons, one on the shoulder and the other on the leg. Pitiful 11,000 power levels, both of them. Neither seemed to be winning.

Solzt snorted at his captain's seemingly riveted gaze. That poor excuse of a match barely tickled her scouter. "That's not even a fight."

"I don't really think you could do better, lightweight." She quipped, unaffected. The corner of her lip quirked upwards in amusement but her eyes stayed fixated on the screen.

Solzt chose to remain quiet. His captain had no place in this conversation. The woman, attractive though she was, hardly even qualified for the competition at all.

"My qualifications do not lie in brute strength, lightweight." There was a light laugh at Solzt's startled lurch, and the light skinned alien cursed under his breath. "It is also why I Captain this team instead of Frieza's other, more dimwitted cronies." Zarmine sighed in annoyance, "I participate only because I must." There was an obtuse glance at Solzt's tense form, "I don't find pleasure in flexing my muscles."

The fight ended, and they both watched one of the hulking forms dragged away by a medical team amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, their appetites whet for blood and carnage. The possibility of death did little to stem their enthusiasm. Soon, it would be his turn, offered up to the masses like some disgusting sacrifice.

"Animals." He hissed under his breath. He was better than this. His father had trained him, taught him to hunt and how to-

"Really Solzt, one would think you'd release yourself of all those ridiculous attachments." Somehow, she knew exactly what to say to make his blood boil in his veins.

Slowly, he gritted out, "I have no attachments. My father is dead, killed by my own hand when I completed my rites." There was no regret accompanying the words. To kill one's father after ascending the rites was an honor.

Zarmine scoffed, "That's what I'm talking about, that sense of honor. The fact that you even deign to recall those memories means you cling to something that has no worth." She was a shrewd warrior and an even more intelligent woman, but Solzt knew that the words –though partly true- didn't mean that she was free of such shackles. No one was, but the Captain had an especially difficult case.

"You got that right, lightweight." There was a round of cheering from the screen as one small humanoid took on a similarly sized opponent. Still nothing entertaining. "What I'm actually raring to see … you up against your opponent."

Solzt crumpled the ticket in his palm.

Id number 676489-4658, Oroitz.

"Quite a vendetta you got there." The Captain said nonchalantly, but there was a tinge of curiosity laced among the sentence. That was strange for Zarmine, usually there was little hidden from her.

Solzt refused to let his thoughts wander _there_but the mere mention of that name sent power trickling over his skin like electricity. Even Zarmine looked taken aback for a moment before she settled into a casual stance, forward with her elbows on her knees. It only looked like she didn't care but Solzt couldn't stifle the chuckle that erupted from his chest at the prospect of making her squirm.

The Captain shot him a glare, and then promptly returned to watching the battle, leaving him alone.

And sometimes, Solzt liked to pretend his thoughts were his own.

* * *

><p>Goku was restless now. Watching the battles on screen invigorated him, though he had yet to go up. As far as Zarbon told him, contestants were matched with those of similar power levels with several sub-branches within the tournament itself. That meant that only the best of each branch faced an opponent with higher power levels. Apparently it made for a better tournament since there wouldn't be too large of a power level gap until the tournament ended. That did little to quell his enthusiasm. It had been a long, <em>long<em> time since he had battled on an arena and even though it wasn't the familiar marble of Earth, it was still an arena. And his bracket was coming up.

There, he would fight, return to the one thing he knew best. There was even a part of him that wanted to impress Kuriza, he could feel the boy's energy, still beside his father and another part of him cheered at the thought of battling Vegeta. True, the Saiyan Prince was nowhere near the pinnacle of his power but it would still be fun. Even if he had to hold back a little.

However, though he doubted that the Prince would actually lose in his bracket, he was not Goku's first opponent.

Solzt.

Previous comrade in arms, almost friend and finally, bitter enemy. He could feel the man's energy boiling, bubbling darkly in the chambers opposite of his, the other side of the arena. Goku could recognize another's energy as well, that of Captain Zarmine. What she was doing with Solzt, he didn't know but there was always something wrong with her, a sense of unease that never failed to rub him wrong. Solzt's words still whirled around in his head, especially now, at the precipice of their battle.

Solzt probably wanted revenge.

Goku felt a wave of guilt at the memory of Solzt's face, when he realized that Goku had left the others behind to die, share the same fate as the planet Frieza doomed. All while the tyrant was saved, by Goku no less!

"_**And **__**the**__** winner**__** is**__**…**__**Gordon**__** of**__** Cooler!**__**"**_The announcer –now sporting a bandage that covered most of his swollen face- held up Gordon's hand and the humanoid roared in victory, still covered by the blood of his fallen opponent. He limped off the arena, favoring one arm but there was pride in the alien's walk as he hobbled down the steps and into the arms of several doctors on the sidelines.

Goku closed his eyes as the crowd quieted and opened them when the tension reached a fever pitch and the crowd screamed in bloodlust.

Solzt stood before him, less than then meters away and every inch of his pale countenance was calm, stoic. But there was darkness simmering underneath his unaffected mask and Goku could taste it on the roof of his mouth.

He dropped into a fighting stance before he even realized it, instinct spurred by the promise of combat in Solzt's eyes.

Solzt mirrored him, crouching low into a position that Goku knew well. He was familiar with Solzt's battle tactics, having seen them over and over in the training rooms that the man hounded him into as often as he could. Goku knew the kick that flew by his face, blocked the incoming punch to his side and jumped away, stepping back on his toes. These were all old tricks.

Solzt didn't look impressed, cocking his head to one side and letting his long hair tumble over his shoulder. Then he shot towards Goku like lightning, coming up below him to deal a devastating uppercut to his jaw. The blow rung in his head like bells but he shook it off just as quickly as it had come, returning with a punch to Solzt's shoulder to send the man back. It was a glancing blow, only enough to rattle Solzt but apparently it set something off and the alien bared his teeth in a feral snarl, eyes narrowing into dark red slits as he charged, blazing energy behind him, scorching the arena floor.

Goku dodged, barely. That one took him by surprise and he flew backwards, eyes wide. "Solz-?" The blow to his stomach crumpled him and Goku fell to his knees, more in shock than actual pain. There was a kick to the side of his head that sent him sprawling against the metal and he tasted blood in his mouth. He was quick to his feet, jumping away before Solzt's knee slammed where he had been seconds ago.

That was close.

This time, Goku went on the offensive, heading straight for Solzt's midsection. His punches were slow enough that Solzt could counter but several passed through his guard, hitting hard where it hurt the most. Solzt wheezed, grabbing his side but didn't drop his guard.

The crowd thundered above them, hoots and jeers screaming wildly past both combatants' ears.

There was a low rumble, the sound of energy rushing through both bodies, unheard by anyone except the fighters themselves. It both thrilled and frightened Goku at once and the strange combination made him suck in a breath that made Solzt's eyes _burn._

_I hate you. I **hate** you._

Goku swerved in time to avoid Solzt's furious kick, grabbing the offending leg and swinging it as fast as he could towards the edge. He was struck by his own actions and subsequently shamed at his own hesitation. But it was too late; Solzt had noticed his grip falter and reacted accordingly. Goku found himself flung backward, wincing from the Ki blast that hit him directly in the face.

Solzt laughed, coughing and spat blood.

There was a flash of rage and Goku almost howled with the force of it. Solzt saw the change in him, felt the burst of energy from beneath his skin and saw the crackles of power that erupted, almost beyond his control and smiled; grim and deadly.

This time, when Solzt flew to him, Goku responded with equal force.

* * *

><p>Solzt knew he had no effect on Oroitz. Whatever the man did, he did it solely for show, to console him, perhaps even stall and Solzt was determined not to let him. There was a vague sense of admiration for the bastard and all it did was infuriate him with its presence. It spurred him to attack again, rushing forward and crouching low in an attempt to get Oroitz off his feet and flat on his back. He knew Oroitz was strong, but even then he would have an advantage.<p>

He was not surprised when the attack failed. Oroitz simply jumped above his out-swept feet and delivered a blow to the side of his head that made Solzt's vision blur. Gritting his teeth, Solzt did not let that falter his movements as he jumped back with as much grace as he could muster. He owed it to Oroitz to hurt him, _humiliate__him_. Not just to himself, no, but for his dead comrades and everyone else who suffered under Frieza's brutal reign.

_I__'__ll __show__ you,_ Solzt thought, letting the rage of his thoughts fuel his movements. _I__'__ll__ show __you __what __it __is __to __be__ at __the __mercy __of __someone __who__ can __free__ you._ He screamed his fury, startling Oroitz and that was enough of an opening for Solzt to ram his knee into the man's stomach and then follow up with an elbow to the back of the head that sent Oroitz sprawling against the floor.

"Get up!"Solzt bellowed, laughing when Oroitz did so. Now that was what he wanted! His opponent's eyes were narrow and dark, filled with confusion but the need for questions was surpassed by the necessity to _fight_. Questions were just empty sentences strung by words that meant _nothing._ If they could battle truly, meet against each other like two rockslides, crushing bone and flaming energy, everything would be clear.

Oroitz rushed at him, all speed and fists a furious flurry that Solzt could not block. He deflected a few but was ultimately hit, one on the jaw, another on the chest and the stomach, all dangerously fatal places. Even amidst the pain he could appreciate the true technique Oroitz had, to be able to deal such accurate and controlled blows. It wasn't the gap in technique or strength that brought Solzt to his feet, instead it was the _control._ It made him livid, made his blood burn underneath his skin.

_How can you have so much power and yet be unable to use it?_

His fist flew straight into Oroitz's cheek, barely registering how he moved or how Oroitz choked in surprise.

_That's it, lose it. Lose it! _

Solzt would make Oroitz feel just as he had for the past months, alone and so very out of control. Afraid to sleep at night, constantly seeing his deceased team, imagined their faces in exposed terror when they realized their fate. Solzt hit harder, not even focusing anymore, just hitting and hitting even if they made no contact. He knew he was tiring himself out, throwing predictable punches and kicks that were easily blocked and countered.

Every blow to his body didn't seem to have an immediate effect. Solzt was _aware_ of things though, aware that one eye was swollen and a rib or two were broken. There was weight on his shoulders, as if his body was too ill a vessel for his seething hate but none of that mattered. He only saw Oroitz, almost untouched, save for the disturbed look in his eyes and the blood on his cheek. Solzt moved again and the pain almost crippled him.

The way Oroitz lurched forward almost looked like he wanted to catch him, but his lunge turned into an unusually clumsy attack and his swing missed by a mile, flying straight over Solzt's matted hair.

Solzt brought his knee forward again, catching Oroitz in the chest, hearing the satisfying creak of a rib and even the pain wracking every bone in his body couldn't stop him from bringing both hands together to gather energy. However, his efforts were thwarted when Oroitz bent backwards just in time to avoid the blast altogether and countered Solzt's inability to react by bringing his head back to slam against his chin.

Solzt staggered back, gasping for breath and vision swimming. He saw doubles of Oroitz, fading in and out of his line of sight. Dimly, he tried to focus, cursing himself for losing so much control. He had fought too hard too fast, left himself open and now he was paying the price while that bastard stood only three meters away. But there was a small glimmer of triumph in Solzt's soul when he looked at Oroitz.

Even though the man was still in fighting stance, there was doubt in his face, mirrored in his eyes and in the way he so hesitantly moved. There were bouts of rage, but they seemed to quell just as quickly as they arrived. Dimly, Solzt realized he had been mistaken. He may have been far weaker than Oroitz, but he had one thing that other did not; control.

He laughed, grabbing his side as if that would help against the pain. "Can't fight me properly, can you?"

Oroitz looked taken aback and Solzt took that as a victory.

"Can't look me in the eye either." He continued, beginning to swathe a wide circle around the pony-tailed man. "You're a _coward._" Solzt said, hissing low enough so as not to be heard by the camera bots that whizzed around them, even though the crowd's roars all but drowned him out. There was a semblance of calm that settled over Solzt, something he hadn't had this entire time and he relished the way Oroitz's face simultaneously darkened and slackened in shock at his declaration.

"That's right," Solzt goaded, stepping closer. "You're a fucking _pussy;_ All that power and still can't do shit about anything."

Oroitz jumped forward, delivering a weak punch that Solzt easily dodged even in his damaged state. He knew it was a cover up, Solzt was getting close to something, and he could _taste_ it.

He would break Oroitz before this fight was through, even if he had to die.

Solzt followed up with a punch of his own and Oroitz blocked it with his arm, sending the alien back, skidding against the metal. "You're _afraid,_ Oroitz." He said, watching Oroitz's eyes widen, "You're afraid to fight me because all you see is their faces."

"No." Oroitz said with his lips, but his face betrayed everything.

Solzt almost guffawed; choking out blood and watching it spatter against his gloves. "Don't lie. You killed them and it's their hopes that lie dead in your hands." He didn't say death, for death was inevitable. It was simply the manner in which one died that was important. Oroitz had robbed the rest of the one thing they deserved in life, to die honorably.

"To be bested –killed- by someone who is superior to you is an honor," Solzt said, recalling his tribe, the words of his teachers as they recited the ancient traditions. "But _you,_ you took that chance from them, not by killing them, no. You didn't even do that, you let the planet kill them for you. _Coward._"

Oroitz stiffened and Solzt knew he hit a nerve from the way the man's mouth tightened. There was guilt in his eyes and Solzt would use it against him.

"I _hate_ you. I see your power and I hate it because it's wasted on someone like you." Solzt punctuated his statement by rushing forward, but before he had been filled with panic. Now it was just a sense of calm as he machine-gunned his fists at Oroitz. He knew they would be all blocked; the man was too focused on his words to pretend to be at Solzt's level.

But he was still weak.

His sight blacked out for a moment and he drifted in an out of consciousness for a moment. There was too much damage to his body, but it would work to his advantage. Solzt moved close, feeling his heart stutter against his chest. The unexpected move caught Oroitz off guard, giving Solzt enough time to wrap a weak hand around his neck.

Oroitz froze and Solzt leaned forward, almost intimately.

"I'll take their revenge." He whispered, voice soft and brittle. "And when I kill you, I'll look into your eyes the way you should have looked into theirs as they died." He squeezed just a little and the way Oroitz's mouth gaped in horror was almost comical. "I'll teach you," Solzt pushed against him, "I'll _punish__you_and you can pretend it's their hands wrapped around your throat."

There was a moment of silence, where everything around them vanished; the arena, the announcer, the crowd and the cam-bots. There was only quiet and the sound of their mingled breath. Oroitz was staring at him, but he saw something else too, something beyond Solzt. It was easy to guess what he saw. There was only one final push to make.

"_**Break.**__**"**_

There was a shrill outcry and the sound of shattered armor. Flesh and bone were rent apart and the molten smell of sizzling innards assaulted Solzt's nose and all his senses began to fail. Even as he fell to the cold embrace of the metallic arena, he laughed.

He laughed at Oroitz's stricken face though he couldn't see.

He laughed at Oroitz's fear though he couldn't smell.

He laughed at Oroitz's tears though he couldn't hear.

He laughed as Oroitz shattered above him, a million tiny pieces he could never piece together again.

Everything around him was fading and in the darkness, amidst the pain and the memories, Solzt could _feel_ something. It felt like _triumph,_ for he had won. Solzt had _truly_ won this battle and it had only been at the small cost of his life. He had been bested by someone far more powerful than him, if only in strength than in mind.

Solzt was falling, falling somewhere deep and vast and dark.

Distantly, he remembered Zarah. She had been right in predicting that attachments would be the end of him. There was an infinite sort of comfort, however, in knowing that he died more than a broken toy soldier.

And Solzt plunged into the embrace of darkness, where his family awaited him.

* * *

><p>Goku stood alone in the showers, hands against the wall. His mind, body and soul were empty, drained. He could feel Kuriza standing outside, worry knotting the boy's stomach as he waited but Goku could not care.<p>

He only saw their faces, silent save for Solzt's hoarse, dying laughter and he wept for them, a broken man.


	27. And Nothing Rises From It's Ashes

Hello everyone. Wow it had been a long while since I've updated and I truly apologize for the stupendous delay. In all honesty, I had the sort of writer's block that appears when one has too many ideas and NO idea how to incorporate them into the story without getting disappointed that it's not happening in an instant.

I won't make any more excuses and thank you to everyone who's been with me so far. Now, onto the next chapter of: Dream of Yesterday!S

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><p>The hallways were emptier now save for the scurrying medics, overworked and glassy-eyed from constant shifts without any breaks. Goku dodged their clumsy paths with ease, catching one ragged humanoid before he fell from exhaustion. Briefly, he asked if the man wished to be taken to the medical bay himself, but the humanoid shook off his arm, mumbled a word of thanks and continued down the hallway to wherever he was going. Goku watched for a moment before he too resumed his trek to the arena.<p>

Distantly, he could feel a large amount of ki amassing at the stadium, no doubt the seats were already filled and the audience eager to see blood. He searched for familiar energies; something Goku found calmed him after the events at Cerise.

There was Kuriza, right beside Dodoria and Zarbon. Frieza wasn't with them, the Icejin in another lounge with several other Ki that he couldn't recognize. He searched for Vegeta's too but the prince wasn't in the Castle, nor Frieza's ship. There was a sense of dread as Goku briefly toyed with the idea of Vegeta being dead but he quickly dismissed that thought; the prince was a trophy for Frieza. There was no way the tyrant would let such a prized possession die, or so Goku hoped. He kept searching, instinctively looking for Ula's distinct signature before remembering she was far away.

Goku squashed the urge to look for Solzt.

He entered the waiting room, already filled with prospective opponents. There wasn't a single friendly face, only grizzled soldiers garbed in the different armor of their respective ships. Even through the thick steel that separated the room from the arena, Goku felt his bones vibrate in response to the onlookers. He didn't like being blood sport, in all honesty, but the thrill of battle was hard to ignore. There was no way to brush aside the instinctual pleasure he felt when he stepped into the ring, even if the stakes were their lives. And they did all this at the behest of one short, little tyrant.

It was almost funny, if it weren't so sad.

Then the screens lit up and Goku focused his attention to the flashing images, forgetting everything else.

* * *

><p>Dodoria didn't like playing babysitter to Kuriza. There was just something repulsive about taking care of something that spawned from the creature that committed genocide for sport and profit. Of course he knew his reasoning was faulty, Kuriza was as much at fault for being born from Frieza as Dodoria was for being pink. But as it was, he had to wait until Frieza called and that chance was growing slimmer and slimmer as the minutes wore on.<p>

If Oroitz, that witless bastard, had brains in his head instead of his fists, _he_ would be here guarding Kuriza instead of fighting like an animal down at the arena right now. Hadn't this been his job? Dodoria bit back an annoyed sigh, shaking his head when Zarbon noticed. His alien comrade sent him a subtle glance, one that told Dodoria that Zarbon felt the same way about guarding the kid. He shrugged back, what could they do eh?

He turned his head back to window. They were fairly far up but Dodoria's keen vision could see the arena easily. It helped the window itself was less glass and more 'state of the art viewscreen' with all sorts of magnifying modules and quick recording, replay and position trackers. At the very least they got to watch the fights instead of kissing ass to whatever big shot the Kold family had invited that day.

There was commotion outside, and Dodoria focused his attention down at the arena, suddenly interested in what got the audience so riled up. He almost chuckled at the sight of Oroitz's ridiculous haircut. No wonder the thermal monitor on the viewscreen went berserk, the fan-favorite killer just stepped up to the plate. Even with the no killing rule -suggestion really- Oroitz had set a standard the others didn't dare live up to.

From the corner of his eye, Dodoria felt Zarbon tense. It wasn't tensing in the usual sense, there was no stiffening of the shoulders or so much as a drawn breath but Dodoria could sense it all the same. You didn't serve with someone for over two decades without learning a little bit about them after all. Not that he and Zarbon were butt buddies or anything but there was little doubt that something about the Saiyan pissed off the pretty boy.

Some other humanoid stepped up, larger than Oroitz by about several heads and wearing King Kold's armor. There was a wave of the announcer's hand and the battle started, both fighters playing a little game of mercy amongst themselves, testing blows as was customary between combatants who hadn't ever engaged in battle.

Suddenly there was a noise from beside him and Dodoria instantly looked down at Kuriza, whose tail had hit the velvety carpeting with an audible thump. He met Zarbon's eyes and for a moment, both of them floundered at what to do. After a second or so, Dodoria managed to collect himself and turn his head back to the viewscreen as if nothing had happened. Frieza was never so out of control. Early in his career under Frieza, Dodoria learned that the Lord knew where his tail was at all times. The sight and sound of Kuriza's tail had been so foreign that it had boggled Dodoria's mind.

The kid had reacted to the battle but it wasn't just _any_ opponent that was fighting and it didn't take Dodoria more than a second to make the connection. He looked back down at Oroitz and could see that the larger humanoid was outmatched in both speed and skill. The larger man lurched forward inelegantly while Oroitz fairly danced around him without any effort. There were a few blows here and there but other than that, the battle was fairly standard.

Certainly nothing to be excited about.

But even as that thought occurred, Dodoria realized that Zarbon had stiffened visibly and damn everything to hell if that didn't put him on edge and if that wasn't enough, Kuriza inhaled quickly, _almost_ inaudibly. Zarbon's eye actually twitched.

Damn it, this all had the look of something Dodoria knew better than to interest himself in. He shot another look down at the arena, unsurprised to see Oroitz walking off and the humanoid being carried away in a stretcher. That entire battle had been bread and butter shit but bread and butter didn't make Zarbon twitch and when Zarbon twitched, Dodoria knew he had better fall into a battle stance if he wanted to make it out alive from whatever battlefield they had the balls or the misfortune to find themselves in.

This was slowly starting to look like the latter.

Fuck.

Thankfully, before he decided to dwell any further on it, his scouter beeped and for one screwed up moment, Dodoria actually _wanted_ it to be Frieza. At least making sure he didn't get killed took up most of his thinking processes and right now, he _really_ didn't want to have free thinking time.

Unfortunately, it was not his Lord but instead another familiar voice.

"What is it Cui?" Dodoria asked, keeping the dismay from his voice.

"Dodoria," The Elite soldier wasted no time, as he saved his entire boot licking for Frieza. "There's a situation."

"That you couldn't solve?" Dodoria questioned, stepping away from Kuriza and Zarbon, keeping his voice low. He could feel his comrade staring at his back but he ignored it. "There is a reason we left you in charge." It would be in very bad form if he was to abandon his post and pissing off Frieza was not on his list of things to do today.

It was as if Cui read his thoughts because the purple bastard suddenly said, "If it's Lord Frieza you're worried about, I have a feeling he'll be angrier if this isn't sorted and as it is, we need Lieutenant-Commander rank to grant us access to the Planetary Information Retrieval System."

"Us?" Dodoria questioned. "Who else is there?" Maybe Cui wasn't just talking out of his ass this time.

"What's taking so long, Cui?" There was a voice in the background that Dodoria instantly recognized. He cursed in a low voice, cutting the line before turning to Zarbon and Kuriza, who had been watching him with keen interest. He bowed quickly, "Forgive me, Prince Kuriza. I have some urgent matters to attend to, I will be back soon." Nodding at Zarbon, a promise to explain, Dodoria left the lounge.

This time, free of the constraints of polite duty, Dodoria didn't hide a stream of curses that erupted from his mouth, startling even the stoic Icejin guard. He wasted no time rushing towards the coordinates his scouter flashed at him. Damn that Cui! Nearly running to the throne room, Dodoria rushed past the large table to press against the door to the adjoining chambers. He was met with Cui's annoyed face, standing beside his favorite person in the world.

"Ah, I was afraid the door would be too narrow for your fat ass, Dodoria." A blue skinned Brench-jin said over his shoulder. "Glad I didn't have to call the guard to push you in."

"Salza." Dodoria ground out, not bothering to disguise his animosity. He grinned when Salza scowled and turned from the supercomputer that dominated the entire room.

"Thank god I didn't eat before I had to see your face, you over bloated fruit." The blond Brench-jin snarled, his own hatred of Dodoria bypassing any form of courtesy he might have adopted for the sake of the Gala.

"Enough." A voice came from the shadows, startling Dodoria. A large figure stepped forward, illuminated by the blue light of the computer. "Your incessant bickering does not suit your stations." The man towered over all of them. He placed gloved hands against the computer, large muscled back straining against the armor that seemed too small for his gigantic frame.

"So what is this about?" Dodoria queried. If it was dire enough that Commander Arracacha of Kold saw fit to intervene, then-

"Do not dawdle, Commander-Lieutenant Dodoria. Please enter your access code. It will be easier to see for yourself." Commander Arracacha moved aside and Dodoria stepped forward, quickly punching in his code. The screen flickered.

**:Commander-Lieutenant Dodoria. Access Granted. Specify Directory:**

"Access the GIA." Arracacha ordered, "We will see if there is a pattern."

Dodoria was confused for a moment, looking at Cui and Salza for some kind of explanation. However, Cui remained annoyingly blank and Salza merely gave him a light nod. With a shrug, Dodoria accessed the Galaxy Information Archive and several windows flickered into view.

Arracacha stepped forward, a large brown hand on Dodoria's shoulder gently pushing him aside, "It is as we feared, Commander Salza."

"Does anyone want to fill me in or should I go into the hallway and twiddle my thumbs till the adults are done playing?" Dodoria interrupted. Time was ticking by and every minute he was away from his duties was one more way that Frieza might torture him before death. He peered by Arracacha's side, trying to see for himself what the problem was.

Arracacha turned to him, "We are experiencing Cross-Galaxy, sector-wide information disappearances on a scale too large to ignore. As it is, we have lost contact with several key sectors."

Dodoria blanched. "What? You're-" He turned to Salza, "This is a joke, right?" But Salza looked grim, staring straight ahead. This was the _worst_ possible time for a malfunction of this scale to happen. Frieza was going to kill them.

"Unfortunately not," The Brench-jin said, typing quickly into what Dodoria recognized as Cooler's own GIA. "So far it's been happening in several galaxies the Kold family hasn't expanded to yet." He continued speaking even as he brought up several charts, scores of data analysis done over the past several months, "As you know, part of the ship's main computer programming involves Command and-"

"Data Handling, I know." Dodoria interrupted quickly. "Get to the point."

Salza glared but didn't comment. He gestured towards Cui, "This morning, at 1100 standard, I received a transmission from Cui-"

Dodoria glowered at the purple amphibian, satisfied when the idiot flinched under his gaze. Why the hell would he send a message to fucking Salza of all people?

"-regarding some strange errors in the GIA that he could not explore in detail. I spent the afternoon crosschecking errors with the ones from Lord Cooler's archives but I needed access to Lord Frieza's archives to make sense of what I was seeing. "

"And?" Dodoria pressed, curious.

"I found that several R-type Satellites stopped transmitting data to our archives. " A list of equipment flashed into view, a constant stream of data uploaded by Reconnesaince satellites and radio towers stationed across Cooler's territory. There was a worried look stretched across Salza's fair features, "I tried connecting to the satellites themselves to manually reestablish the link but..."

Dodoria looked across the list, noting the lines of numbers in red. Typing, he accessed the current equipment list in Frieza's archive, matching several of the satellite codes. His hands froze over the keys. "They're gone." He said blandly, checking over again. He began typing again, oblivious to the knowing glance Arracacha and Salza shared behind him. "This isn't possible."

"I also assumed the same." Arracacha agreed, "I was contacted several hours ago by Commander-General Salza to check if it was a malfunction. However, the results are the same across the board it seems. You have revealed the last riddle."

"Satellites don't just disappear," Dodoria typed several codes in manually, only to find that he could not connect. "If they were tampered with or dismantled we would know."

Salza shook his head, "In this case the fail safes were not activated. It's as if they just snapped out of existence." He frowned, pacing the room. "That's not it," Salza continued, "I've also been trying to access several of the radio towers stationed on several potentially profitable planets in the same sectors and it isn't just a case of bus modules not responding, it's as if they aren't even there."

"Did you get in contact with any of the scout ships near?" Dodoria asked, turning to the group. This was not good news; they relied on those satellites to keep the archive updated not only in sectors untouched by Kold but also in sectors that were already firmly in their grasp. All the satellites were linked together and from what it looked like, it wasn't a simple case of one satellite going haywire or smashing into some asteroid. Briefly, he followed Salza's previous words and tried to access the radio towers only to find that their signals too had completely vanished. "Could this be organized?" He asked. It was...not completely implausible for large scale sabotage.

Just really, _really_ unlikely.

Arracacha looked like he was thinking it over but Cui interrupted before the commander could say anything, "I can't get in contact with either of the two ships located in the same sectors as the satellite malfunctions. Can't establish a link with their scouters either."

Dodoria looked at Salza and Arracacha, who both shook their heads as well. "We have also tried but our efforts have been in vain. Neither Lord Cooler's nor King Kold's scouts have reported as well. The links to their ship have also vanished. There were no prior transmissions of an attack or sabotage. We also cannot open a line to their scouters. We can't even bring up their tracking codes to trace their last transmission or location."

"So, we have nothing?" Dodoria asked almost disbelievingly. He turned back to the computer, "We have over ten satellites and I don't know how many radio towers missing, six scout ships MIA and no information on what caused this?" Dodoria had to take a moment to process all of that.

Silence dominated the room.

"What should we tell them?" Cui asked, worried. He looked at Dodoria for some sort of command.

Dodoria just shifted, glancing uncomfortably between Arracacha and Salza. The same question was etched across both their features.

"Should we tell them at all?" Cui held his hands up at their incredulous faces, "What I mean to say," He corrected quickly, "Is should we wait until the Gala is over?"

"What a wonderful idea," Salza drawled. "I didn't know this was a suicide club."

Arracacha also disagreed, folding his giant arms over his broad chest. The complete whites of his eyes narrowed as he thought. Finally, after a moment of silence he spoke; "I believe the wisest course of action would be to inform our Lords. Perhaps the severity of the situation might merit an excuse to lend us the manpower we would require to investigate."

Dodoria spared a glance towards Salza and Cui, the latter who looked properly deflated at the prospect of being the bearer of bad news. He scoffed inwardly; even as Frieza's right hand Lieutenant, Dodoria knew there was a limit to ass kissing and for all his seemingly 'good intentions, Cui regularly crossed that limit. Maybe Dodoria should make _him_ relay the bad news, watching his purple butt catch on fire would be entertaining. Dismissing the amusing thought, Dodoria looked at his options.

Telling Frieza would –as Arracacha advised- be the most prudent course of action. If there really _was_ a galaxy-wide sabotage being staged, then they were up against someone who knew what they were doing. That, at the very least, merited some sort of caution. Slowly, he nodded at Arracacha, tying to think of a way to tell Frieza that wouldn't get his ass blasted into the next world. "This is not going to be fun."

Salza chuckled grimly, "You've got that right."

There was a pregnant silence until Cui broke it. "So, uh…Who's first?"

Dodoria grinned, thoroughly enjoying watching Cui nearly shit his pants.

* * *

><p>Three battles into the day and Goku was exhausted. Not physically, of course, but something had to be said about holding back so much it actually ached. The first opponent had been easy but Goku had managed to actually have some fun. Then by the third battle, fighting with such a self imposed handicap became tiring.<p>

He slumped against the wall, slightly bored with the interim between his battles. An hour had passed since his last fight and he was already hungry. The lack of action meant that he had nothing to do but wait until his name appeared on the screens and _that_ meant more room to think. It was something Goku was proud to say he was sick of. Instead, he reminisced.

He remembered Earth, Gohan and Goten. Chichi was probably a baby, just like him right now. The thought made him smile. He missed Piccolo and strangely enough, he missed Vegeta. There was Vegeta now but the Prince he knew and the one he saw under Frieza's command might as well have been different species. Suddenly, as though simple thought summoned him, Goku could feel Vegeta's energy just across the ring. It knocked him out of his reverie, even more when he heard his name announced, flicking across the screen to settle beside Vegeta's. He was up immediately and he was in the ring in a matter of seconds.

The announcer looked stunned at his enthusiasm but Goku just smiled good-naturedly and waited, amidst the screaming crowd, for Vegeta to step into the ring.

The Prince of Saiyans ambled towards the arena with a grace that marked him as _different_ from the other troops. His furry tail wrapped around his waist and head held as high as the day Goku first met him. The entire stadium was in an uproar, the usual quiet that surrounded everyone at the sight of the Prince gone for the bloodlust that had been carefully cultivated over the course of several days.

The announcer scrambled off the stage, leaving them alone face to face.

"Hey Vegeta," Goku offered, aware at the Prince wouldn't understand the familiarity of his tone. He'd probably take offense. Goku found he didn't really care either way.

"You said you owed me a rematch," Vegeta began, falling into a battle stance Goku was familiar with. "I would have you explain."

Goku crouched, bringing his arms up. "You wouldn't get it." Even though Goku hadn't seen Vegeta fight in years, every inch of the Prince's toned and battle-hardened body was ingrained in his memory, both mental and physical. For every twitch of the Prince's fingers, his own body moved in accordance. They were already fighting without moving a single step.

To his surprise, Vegeta offered a feral grin, "Try me." Then he was just a flash of blue, launching towards Goku with all the rage of a caged animal. They met in the middle as a flurry of fists and energy, colliding like two rockslides that shook the entire stadium and sent the crowd reeling into savage ecstasy.

There was a kick to his stomach, one he took gracefully, rolling to the floor and jumping to land on his feet. The energy ball barely missed his face, singing the tips of his bangs and exploding somewhere in the distance. Goku charged again, throwing a flurry of shallow strikes that hit Vegeta in the shoulder, the chest and the stomach, meant to slow him down rather than damage him. It was something Vegeta realized because his own blows became faster, fiercer and taunting. Goku responded by upping his own speed, just a little faster than Vegeta's and his next elbow landed squarely in the middle of Vegeta's ribcage.

The Prince stumbled back, momentarily shocked at the force before regaining his balance and rushing to meet Goku once more. They clasped hands, Goku pushing back against Vegeta with as much force as he dared muster.

"You think you've fooled everyone." Vegeta snarled, surprising Goku. He jumped back when Goku released his fists only to send a kick aimed straight at his neck.

Goku made a point to dodge only a split second before impact.

The Prince continued raining blows, laughing at each punch that made contact, "There's something off about you. I can't place it. I've never seen you, but you smell familiar." They were fighting in close quarters again despite Goku's attempts to put space between them. It seemed that the Prince was intent on speaking to him, "Don't run, coward."

"I'm. Not. Running!" Goku cried out and his fist met Vegeta's aristocratic face with the force of an exploding planet, the satisfying crunch of fracturing bone under his knuckles. "What do you want?" He abandoned his earlier plan of distance and charged at Vegeta before the prince could get his bearings. Aiming for his stomach, Goku's punch knocked the air out of him and the metal floor crumpled under the combined weight of Vegeta and the blow's force. Goku jumped back and waited each breath slow and steady.

Vegeta staggered to his feet, obviously weakened but there was a grin on his face as he regarded Goku, a thin trickle of blood covering his chin. Crooking a finger, Vegeta taunted him, "Can't finish me? You're no soldier."

Goku shifted on his feet, moving closer without actually stepping forward. "I am against killing, Vegeta."

"Then you're in the wrong place, coward. You'll die like a dog." Vegeta propelled towards him again, furious intent gleaming in his eyes. He feinted a kick and Goku fell for it, barely managing to catch himself from falling out of the ring. His precarious footing sent a new wave of excitement over the crowd their screeching cheers nearly deafening him.

"There's nothing wrong with some compassion, Vegeta!" He yelled over the Prince's energy blasts, sending them to the walls with a well time block. Remaining on the defensive, Goku simply dodged whatever Vegeta was throwing at him, sometimes letting a kick or a punch through.

The rage was building inside Vegeta; Goku could almost feel its palpable essence. "I am the Prince of all Saiyans and you dare to preach about something as weak as _compassion?_! Don't you dare mock me!" Vegeta growled when Goku dodged another kick, "Enough of your prattle! Fight me! Know the true strength of a Saiyan Elite!"

Blood ran down his forehead in rivulets where Vegeta had head butted him. The Prince was in the air now, aiming at him and gathering power between his hands. Goku crouched and brought his hands together as well, feeling the familiar burn of energy through his fingers.

"Gallic Gun!" A beam of purple light shot straight at him, rocking the entire stadium. With what little lucid thought remained between the roaring rage of his excitement and the savage pandemonium that was erupting around them, Goku remembered not to scream. He whispered:

"_Kamehameha._"

Distantly, the crowd was roaring and Vegeta's energy was spiking uncontrollably. He was still in the air, singed and furious, staring down at Goku like he was scum. Goku merely grinned, taunting the Prince back. He was rewarded by a gluttonous snarl and the Prince was on him once again, fists a fluid blur in the air.

Goku cried out, pushing Vegeta back with a burst of energy and simultaneously utilizing his instant transmission to appear behind him, cracking down on Vegeta's back with a well placed knee.

Vegeta fell to his knees, coughing and Goku stepped back, allowing him some room to get up.

"Nice trick," Vegeta coughed blood, standing. Wiping his bleeding mouth with the back of his hand, he hissed, "But you should have followed it up. You lost your chance, fool." When he flew at Goku again, Vegeta stumbled when his fist met nothing but air. The whooshing sound of Instant Transmission filled the arena and Goku flickered in and out of his vision. One moment he was above, then beside, then behind.

The Prince was haphazardly shooting everywhere within the arena, catching Goku where ever he Transmissioned to. Getting away was an easy enough, but Goku played along, flying up above his opponent and aiming squarely at Vegeta.

"Take this!" He shouted, shooting two powerful balls that Vegeta barely managed to dodge. Then they were colliding together in the air. Vegeta was much smarter than him in battle, the Prince was strategic. He baited Goku, falling forward and backward, lurching in the air as if he were gravely injured, just waiting for a stupid rush in.

But Goku was faster, stronger. His plans were no good if there was no strength or speed to back them up and when the Saiyan followed through with his attack, there was no way Vegeta could stop them. With a well placed punch to the jaw, Vegeta hurtled through the air and landed with a metallic thud. Goku landed before him and crouched, waiting.

The Prince grasped at the floor, obviously damaged. "I…won't lose,'' he vowed fervently, trying desperately to haul himself onto his knees, "I am…" Vegeta hacked, "I am the Prince of Saiyans! I am the _best_ warrior in the Universe!" The force of his own will lent him strength and he stood, but his legs buckled underneath him and the last vestiges of consciousness faded away in the wake of Goku's furious attack.

Goku caught the Prince in his arms, falling down to one knee. With a sigh of relief, he noted the Prince's breathing was stable. He was hurt, but not that badly. A couple of hours in the Regeneration tanks would have him back on his feet.

"And here we have it, Ladies and Gentlemen!" The Announcer startled him, "The winner is…_Oroitz!_"

The crowd was amused. The weight of their savage bloodlust, still unappeased, bore down on his shoulders. He ignored them and headed towards the edge of the arena where the Medical staff were already waiting with a stretcher and left the Announcer to sputter into his microphone. Gently, he laid Vegeta onto the cloth, making sure not to jostle any of his injuries. The Vegeta he may have known was strong but this Vegeta was still barely more than a child and Goku remembered how easily Gohan was injured, even during friendly spars. It was no wonder their battle barely lasted half an hour.

Just as he laid Vegeta down and straightened his back, there was a hand grasping at his wrist. Vegeta was looking at him through one squinted eye, choking when he opened his mouth, "Wh-why?" The he was gone again, eyes closed and dead to the world. Goku watched the Medics take him away.

"Because," Goku stated with a satisfied sigh, "I owed you one."

And a little compassion was not a weakness.

* * *

><p>Dodoria did his best not to cringe under his Lord's furious gaze. If looks could kill, the entire planet would be little more than debris at that moment. The same couldn't be said for Cui, whose shaking practically made the floor vibrate. In the end, Dodoria had given the bad news, understanding on some level that it would look better if it seemed that <em>he<em> had discovered the error. Finding and fixing such problems was his and Zarbon's responsibility after all. However, that didn't look like it was going to keep him alive though.

Lord Frieza glared at him for a moment before his face calmed into something that Dodoria recognized at cool rage. This time, he did flinch.

"And this is happening in Cooler's territory as well?"

Dodoria nodded and there was a flicker of amusement in Lord Frieza's red eyes before it disappeared when he continued, "In King Kold's as well. I don't think this is a coincidence."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Dodoria. I'm not sure what I would do without such poignant observations." Lord Frieza sighed, seemingly oblivious to the panic that bloomed in Dodoria's chest, heart beating so loudly it was impossible not to hear within a five meter radius. If Lord Frieza _did_ know, then he paid no attention, turning away from his Lieutenant and soldier to look down at the Arena. Cooler and King Kold were not present, Lord Frieza gracefully leaving them when Dodoria had pinged him across the scouter. "This does not bode well. Who else knows?"

"Only Commander Salza, Arracacha, Cui and I, my lord. I will be informing Zarbon as well."

"That is good," Frieza nodded to himself, "If word were to get out about this, it would imply that the Kold family is unable to properly maintain hold on our property. Are you sure you cannot manually connect to any of the satellites?" Even though his thin voice was calm, there was a twitch in his tail that Dodoria saw only after serving so long underneath the Icejin. That usually meant that unless someone curb his anger quickly, or Dodoria had to order more cremations than usual.

He had to tread carefully. "All of us tried to manually establish contact with the R-type Satellites. It didn't work, not even with the radio towers. We also couldn't contact any of the scout ships in those sectors and we haven't received any transmission regarding an attack." Dodoria thought for a moment before adding, "And the fail-safe in either the ships or the equipment haven't been activated."

"This sounds like sabotage." Lord Frieza brought a fist to his mouth, eyes narrowing in anger. "Who dares act against the Kold family?"

"Shall we organize a search party?" Dodoria ventured as carefully as he could.

"No!" The tyrant whipped around to face him, "We will not risk alerting any of our guests about the situation. Once the Gala is over, we will launch a full scale investigation." His upper lip quirked in threat, "Do you understand? Not a word!"

"Yes, my Lord." Dodoria answered quickly, bowing. Cui repeated his words, stammering over them like some idiot. How did the moron ever manage to make his way into Elite ranks?

Lord Frieza exhaled slowly, turning away again. "For now, you will monitor the situation closely; make sure that no other changes occur. If they do, you will contact me immediately. Now go."

Dodoria bowed again, hastily exiting the room with Cui in tow. "You are a moron," He spat out, aware that there was no real reason for the insult. Cui remained silent, letting the insult pass over him like water on oil.

"So what's the plan now?" The amphibian hazarded, keeping his voice low.

"We go back to our post," Dodoria snapped, "That's what. And you'll keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you."

There was a nod of understanding from Cui and they parted at the hallway, Dodoria heading back towards Kuriza's personal lounge. What should he tell Kuriza? Should he say anything at all to the little lord? How was he going to manage to excuse Zarbon to tell him anything? The castle was hardly private for soldiers and if news got out there was no way they were going to survive the backlash. Not as if Dodoria really cared about what happened to anyone else but there had to be something said about a soldier's honor.

He entered the lounge as quietly and nonchalantly as he could. He bowed low to Kuriza and caught Zarbon's eye for a prolonged moment. As expected, Zarbon immediately understood something was afoot. He sent a nod back, so slight that Dodoria was sure even Frieza would miss it.

"What is wrong?" Kuriza asked, shattering all of Dodoria's illusions and bringing up all those pesky little questions that posed very big problems. In fact, Dodoria was so shocked at Kuriza's sudden observation that he actually stuttered, tripping over his words, earning him a not-so-subtle glare from Zarbon. Kuriza regarded them both calmly. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

"No, Prince Kuriza." It was a little terrifying actually, Dodoria couldn't even bring his eyes up. Since when had the prince been so intimidating? The change was too swift for the Lieutenant to catch himself.

"Do you find it amusing to tiptoe around me?" The question startled both of them, Zarbon remaining stunned in the back. "I am not slow, Commander." Kuriza said, speaking slowly. "What is the matter?"

Thankfully, Prince Kuriza allowed Dodoria some breathing space to adjust. "There have been…some disturbances in Kold Territory, Prince, nothing to worry about-"

"I will decide whether or not something is worth worrying about. What sort of disturbances?" The Prince's red eyes were focused below, where Oroitz and Vegeta clashed with surprising intensity.

Dodoria shifted awkwardly, trying to word the issue in a way as to please the Prince and keep in line with Frieza's orders. "Someone's been tampering with equipment and it's causing errors in the system." It wasn't exactly a lie.

Kuriza didn't seem to hear, still staring silently down at Oroitz, eyes skimming the various flashes of text and diagrams that appeared on the screen. "Such a large commotion for such a minor error."

"Commotion?" Dodoria asked before he could check himself and immediately regretted it in the wake of Zarbon's scandalized hiss. Kuriza, however, did not seem to noticed either of their blunders, content to watch Oroitz play with Vegeta. The Prince of Saiyans was dropping fast and Oroitz wasn't even winded.

When a few moments passed without a single word from the Prince, Dodoria chose to wisely stay silent and take his place as guard. A few more minutes elapsed before Zarbon finally relaxed enough to let Dodoria relax.

Eventually, the medics took Vegeta away, leaving Oroitz alone and the victor.

"I will let it go this one time," Dodoria tightened his jaw when Kuriza spoke. "But do not ever lie to me again."

"…Yes Prince."

* * *

><p>Goku felt both happy and sad all at one time. How that was even possible, he didn't really know. Neither emotion warred for more space; there was no conflict inside of him. They just existed all at once. Partly, he was happy because there was interaction with Vegeta. Strange to say, but he had missed the Prince and though it was one-sided, there was comfort in seeing a familiar face. There was the same determination and fierce hunger he had come to associate with Vegeta's presence. Vegeta always had his back, coming in to save Goku's ass more times than he could count. For all their rivalry and the bitter past that reared its head into their relationship, the Prince had been there when it mattered.<p>

But how much of that had been formed _here_? How much of Vegeta had Goku really seen? How much of an influence did Frieza really have? Goku knew, vaguely, that his own change from blood-hungry Saiyan to Earth's hero happened through a very unlikely occurrence. So if he hadn't bumped his head, what would he be like?

Radditz? His father? Goku didn't really know and the more he pondered on it, the more confused he became and suddenly, knowing Vegeta became a lot sadder than before. Even when they laid their rivalry to rest, it wasn't as if they suddenly became best of friends. A smirk there, a joke here, a super Saiyan argument over food was hardly moral support for a prince that still claimed a title over a dead race.

Come to think of it, Goku realized, he had been…a bad friend. That realization irked him far more than it should have. Retrospectively, all those years he didn't visit left him a little annoyed at himself. With a sigh, Goku crossed his arms. Why hadn't he noticed before?

Why did it take a time machine to make him see the things he should have known all along? He remembered Gohan and Goten, leaving them alone for years…Poor Chichi, alone with two growing hybrid boys while he frolicked in the afterlife, training. He…didn't think he regretted the training; it always paid off some way or another. But it was sort of ironic, Goku thought, that he was constantly saving everyone's lives but at the same time, sacrificing those who should have been the most precious to him. He had been a bad father and a bad friend and all it had taken was a single battle to show Goku that for all his strength and skill, he was still unable to help those he cared about. Even here, with all his knowledge of the future and how events would unfold, Vegeta might as well have been in a different universe altogether.

The rage and battle-lust that had stormed in Vegeta's eyes had been wholly animalistic, uncaring of anyone, not even himself. Pushing himself to the limit, mentally and physically, over and over again for the singular purpose of revenge kept him alive, kept him from breaking down. Vegeta didn't care about living and he didn't care about dying either. The things the prince had to endure under Frieza's rule were probably something Goku could only imagine.

He'd never had a family or friends, gone on adventures like Goku and Bulma. All he'd done was strive and strive and push and push until he'd grown ragged. Then he'd get up and do it again, all while bowing under Frieza's thumb, dignity broken and humiliated all for the sake of the tyrant's amusement. Bending his neck and swallowing his pride just to survive one more day. What kind of hatred did it take to keep going?

Deep down, Goku realized that on a primal level, Vegeta utterly terrified him. But then again, Goku himself was stooping to levels of darkness he didn't know existed. He let that thought trail away, leaving nothing but blissful emptiness. Even the roar of the crowd, soft from all the metal that separated them, seemed to lessen. The indeterminable mass of Ki was separating.

"We are offered a brief respite. " A shadow fell over him, and Goku startled at the sound of Captain Zarmine. How had he not sensed her? First instinct told him to move away when he remembered his first battle. However, she didn't seem the least bit phased, not even angry. Instead, the Captain leaned against the wall alongside him, watching the guards disperse. "You seem well."

"Have…have you fought yet?" He asked, more for lack of anything to say than actual curiosity. In all honesty, he was disturbed by her presence. Even as she stood beside him with her arms crossed and nonchalant smile, Goku couldn't sense her at all. It was as if she had no Ki, like he was staring into a ghost.

"I have been excused from battle." She answered evenly, blond locks falling in front of her scouter. "However, Lieutenant Zarbon has allowed me to watch until a victor has been decided. That will not be too long from now." Suddenly, she slid down beside him and her head rested against his shoulder as if she were tired, oblivious to the way he stiffened.

Goku stayed rock still. Piccolo would have been proud of him. Even though he was much stronger than she, Goku really had no desire to go up against her in battle. Something always seemed…a little off. Zarmine always seemed either too hot or too cold and Goku was somewhere in the middle now, no man's land.

Instinct screamed at him to run away.

"My, but the battle with broken prince was something to watch. The end was particularly novel. I haven't seen that sort of dead chivalry in a long time." Her voice carried a trace of mocking amusement he learned to detect by rote.

"It wasn't sentimentality," Goku protested. "I owed it to him, after such a good battle."

Zarmine looked at him as if he'd uttered a lie. "You owed it to him? You _humiliated _him; a member of his own race, a lower class soldier beating him to the floor like he was a dog!" Goku stared at the top of her head, stunned by both her words and how she had casually uttered what he had been trying to keep secret so diligently.

"No." He said with as much certainty as he was able. Everything was beginning to crumble around him. How could he convince her of his intentions when he had betrayed his own morals –morals he thought were set in stone?

She sensed the hesitation in his voice, closed in on it like a vulture to dying prey, "You had fun, and in the end," She laughed heartily and Goku's heart lurched when he realized it wasn't altogether an unpleasant sound, "Where you picked him up like some kind of dashing knight and carried him to the medics! That was priceless." Suddenly, all dark humor vanished from her voice, leaving her serious and deadly. "He hated you so much. He wanted to kill you."

Goku didn't reply. That wasn't news to him, Vegeta had always hated him somewhere deep down in his very being. Just his very existence irked the Prince to no end. Goku was everything he was supposed to be and to be so very far from that goal was a wound that never healed, even when their one-sided bitter rivalry turned into something akin to friendship. "I wasn't playing with him," Goku repeated.

"Please," Zarmine crossed her legs nonchalantly, "You could have beaten him into a pulp at any moment you chose. He knew it."

"I-" He wanted to say that it would have been unfair, but Zarmine beat him to the punch.

"If you're going to say that you wanted to give him a chance, you should know that all you did was prolonging his inevitable defeat. He knew that as well." She was right. Damn it, she was wrong too. It hadn't been his intentions to toy with Vegeta. That had never been his intentions.

He could tell her about the future, how Vegeta had a family, and was a hero of Earth. How he had reclaimed his throne, fulfilled his destiny, became the super saiyan he longed to be but even so, she was still _right._ Vegeta's hatred _was_ fruitless and it proved so countless times, among all the enemies he wished to defeat only to have Goku come in and take the glory in what seemed like an effortless attempt. Only when he decided to put that hatred aside did he progress, but even then that darkness had tainted him. Maybe if Goku ever got out of his nightmare, would he end up like Vegeta?

"You're all he thought about." Zarmine said, staring into the distance. The passing Icejin guards were looking at them with a mixture of amusement and confusion. For some reason, he knew she wasn't talking about the Prince.

Goku was decidedly unwilling to say who 'he' was.

"Solzt." Her answering chuckle confirmed his thoughts.

"Why?"

She scoffed and Goku felt instantly ashamed, aware that his question had been monumentally stupid, even for his standards. "You granted his wish in the end, so it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean," He asked, honestly curious. Any insight to Solzt might help him lessen the guilt that ravaged his consciousness.

Zarmine sighed wistfully, as if conjuring a memory and brought her fingers to brush against his armor, ignoring his choked stammering. "I see why you infuriated him. He hated you, respected you, and feared you. He was…obsessed. He may have even loved you."

There was a sputtering sound and Goku turned over what she said a few times. Even so, it didn't make any more sense than the first time he heard them. "Loved me? How? What does that have to do…with what happened? What wish did I grant?" The others around them slowly began to move when it became apparent that Zarmine focused on her current prey. Goku knew her reputation. She saw, she captured, and she conquered and then left in pieces. But her interest was as sudden as it was fierce, one moment it was bright and hot, the next moment, it flickered away. "I don't understand." Goku finally said, trying to make sense of everything. He hadn't thought Solzt would ever think of him as anything more than a killer.

Zarmine chuckled at him but the look in her eyes was still there. She was trying to figure out something about him, Goku could tell. The fact that she was getting nowhere frustrated her. "He never said anything about you, but he didn't need to," The Captain explained, "It was written all over his face. Your name echoed everywhere; in his dreams, consumed every waking moment. He wanted to catch up to you." She scoffed at his expression, "Even for one moment, he wanted you to look at him and take away _everything._ He wanted the same attention you gave to your teammates back at Cerise. Solzt wanted _you_ for himself, for that one single second in time, even if he had to bring you down to his level to do it."

"No," Goku protested, "That's not why I…" Strange emotions warred in his chest; rage, helplessness, the terrifying need to _kill_. He reined them in.

Zarmine raised a golden eyebrow, intrigued. "Tell me why then," She commanded.

Goku remained silent but she didn't seem unsettled in the slightest.

"No matter," Zarmine continued, brushing her fingers along his jaw line, tracing corded muscle gently, "He is dead by your hand and I suppose you believe speaking more of his would be disrespectful." There was a sense of satisfaction in her eyes at the sight of his discomfort. It seemed petty of her, to take pleasure in the way his entire body wanted to run.

"How do you know all of that?" He wanted to reject her but he was interested and Zarmine…could offer insight in ways he couldn't even begin to comprehend. There was a nagging feeling, like he should stop; everything fiber of his being begging to maintain ignorance but this was the least he could do. If his suffering was the least he could do to atone for his deeds, then he should be more than willing to ask.

She shrugged and he felt her vibrate as if she were the uncomfortable one, "I knew Vegeta once. I knew Solzt as well."

"Once?" Goku pressed, "What do you-"

"When Vegeta was younger, hungry to feel the world around him. He sought an end with no means, grasping at everything he could. Trial and error," She said, "Trial and error." With a soft exhale, she rested her palm against his chest, between his neck and armor. "Both he and Solzt hungered. But where Vegeta burned, Solzt was already flickering away." The few guards that remained offered him various looks of pity, sharpened ears hearing everything. "They lay, wanting a future for themselves that they couldn't even envision. It was so sad."

"Oh." Goku said, not understanding at all. _"Oh._" Comprehension dawned, "So you…"

"Solzt wanted you to finish the job." She didn't let him finish but whether it was because she was ashamed or simply wanted to tell someone, Goku didn't know. "He wanted you kill him completely."

There was an itch, crawling up his spine. Dread settled into his stomach when he realized how painful her words were, how utterly _wrong_ he'd been in all his assumptions. The fire in Solzt's eyes during battle had been flickers of something primal, instinctual. If he had paid more attention, Goku would have realized that it hadn't been _real_. Zarmine was right, he _had_ killed Solzt. The same way he'd killed Ula. How many others had he unwillingly dragged with him?

_What had he done?_

Zarmine smiled sweetly, as if she could hear his thoughts, bitter ecstasy dripping from her voice, _"You rewarded him in more ways than you can imagine."_ She sighed, "Now rest while you can. Your work isn't done. There is still…the _main_ course." She directed his gaze to the doorways that led to the arena and Goku saw they had opened. The audience had gathered again, their energy simmering like boiled water.

Goku shivered. He was the main course. The waiting room was completely empty now; the rest of the warriors either incapacitated or back the ship, their power levels too low to qualify entry. It was just him, Zarmine…and someone else. Someone…familiar? Where had he felt that energy before? Who was it? He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on the feeling. It was a tickle in the back of his mind, a vague outline of a figure in his vision and a strange sense of nausea in his stomach. It made Zarmine feel like welcome company in comparison.

He made to stand, absently taking care to help Zarmine up as well, ignorant of the strange way she regarded him. Anxiety flooded him, followed quickly by the comforting familiarity of adrenalin before battle. Suddenly, Goku desperately wanted to fight and quell the uneasiness, forget what Zarmine said. Any moment now, Goku waited for his name.

"Good luck out there, Oroitz." Zarmine brushed a kiss to his cheek, sauntering away, her soft chuckles echoing all the way behind her.

Goku paid her no heed, her presence slipping away from her mind as soon as he focused on the ring. Suddenly he knew who it was, a flash of realization taking him back to that dark hallway on the ship where Ula had been trembling with fear, eyes filled to the brim with tears. The pure _terror_ he remembered brought back the rage full force, enough to make him quake with it.

_Navac_

* * *

><p>The finals of the Kold Gala Tournament had always been more style than substance, a ceremonial ritual that served as a finale to the entire grandiose event. However, this time around <em>everyone<em> had gathered and Dodoria could feel excitement thrumming all around him, shaking down straight to his bones. Even the Ginyu force –who had gathered here alongside Lord Frieza and his kin- were suspiciously quiet, eager to watch the finals. It was a bit strange to see the two colorful warriors standing so silently, but it was much better than having them do stupid poses.

Suddenly, the crowd was roused from its silence, roaring so loudly that the entire lounge vibrated underneath their feet. The viewscreen blipped on almost dramatically, magnifying the arena. The speakers boomed as the announcer took the stage,

"Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen, honored guests of the Kold Gala! We are honored to have you present at the Grand Finals! No doubt you remember, the winner of this surely fantastic battle will have the honor of joining the Illustrious Ginyu Force! Both Finalists wear Lord Frieza's uniform, but who will be the lucky and skilled enough to prevail? Enter from the west, Oroitz!" He gestured wildly towards the entrance and the viewscreen instantly adjusted, cameras tilting away and narrowing in on a wildly stupid ponytail and the man that sported it. "Easily this year's fan favorite, Oroitz has been winning each battle without breaking a sweat! Will he be able to win this time?"

The crowd roared. Dodoria snickered inwardly. Oroitz had become a crowd favorite after his first battle and no doubt the audience was desperately hoping to see more blood spilled. Accordingly, Oroitz looked more than a little uncomfortable and his steps were more hesitant than usual. However, Dodoria's eyes, -honed as a warrior's to notice even the smallest changes- made note of the way Oroitz's shoulders were square and stiff. He was angry. That in and of itself struck him as _odd._ To think of Oroitz as someone capable of anger was strange. Suddenly, the finals turned into something much more interesting than he anticipated.

"-giant from the East," the announcer continued, gesticulating each word with a massive wave of his hand, as if the audience needed any more encouragement to scream bloodlust. "Navac! A powerful force to be reckoned with, he's _brutalized_ his way up the ranks! How will Oroitz fare against this powerhouse?"

Half the viewscreen wheeled away and zoomed in on a massive monster of a humanoid. Taller than Zarbon, barely a head shorter than King Kold, Navac was all muscle and pissed off countenance. Dodoria had seen him once or twice, aware that Zarbon usually dealt with the special cases. Off the top of his head, Dodoria remembered only a few facts: Navac was unusually powerful for his species, had been especially scouted and trained under rigorous conditions. He'd basically been _primed_ as a candidate for the Ginyu Force. How the hell was Oroitz going to survive?

Navac stopped short of the announcer, a good few meters away from Oroitz and from the looks of it; they had some sort of feud going on between them. How Oroitz managed that, Dodoria couldn't imagine but Navac looked absolutely _pissed._ The ridges above his brown eyes were drawn together so fiercely it looked like his skull would cave in under the pressure and his entire body was ready to pick Oroitz apart.

Dodoria spared a sideways glance at Lord Frieza, gauging his reaction to see if the Icejin had noticed. He'd taken a liking to Oroitz after all, so would the tyrant intervene?

Suddenly, the two warriors were clashing fiercely, Oroitz's power level appearing on the screen underneath his face, infinitely weaker than Navac's. 15000 to 50000 were dismal odds and Navac was still playing a game of mercy, his punches glancing Oroitz's body in mock fight. Dodoria spared a glance to Zarbon, surprised to find him staring intently at the screen as if he were waiting for something. Dodoria was instantly uncomfortable, diverting his attention back to the fight.

Oroitz was doing surprisingly well against the beast he was up against. He was small but nimble, dodging Navac's blows quickly enough to piss off his opponent and countering with light blows of his own. Navac said something, his mouth moving on the screen but the roar of the crowd drowned out whatever chance the microphones had of picking it up. Whatever it was, Oroitz reacted badly to it, jumping away in time to avoid a devastating kick to his neck. He recovered in time, jumping back into the fray with his own furious attack.

Something happened, quicker than Dodoria could see and Oroitz's fist landed squarely between Navac's eyes, sending the large warrior stumbling back gracelessly. Dodoria was impressed. Navac must have had his guard down.

"He's strong," Captain Ginyu noted with distaste, referring to Navac "But he lacks _panache."_ He turned to the tall, red-headed monster behind him. "Not too photogenic either, but I guess we _could_ work on him."

Dodoria rolled his eyes. The last three members Ginyu 'worked on' didn't stay alive long enough to show results. If it weren't for Frieza's trust in them, Dodoria would have pegged them as all stupid and no substance.

The audience suddenly screamed in feverish frenzy. Oroitz had somehow managed to send Navac flying sky-high, going to the air with an attack so fast the viewscreen flickered into static and back for a moment. Dodoria leaned in closer, hoping to see what was happening with his own eyes. He cursed inwardly when he realized that they were moving faster than he could see.

How the hell was Oroitz doing it?

The viewscreen managed to focus on both warriors again and Dodoria heard a grunt of annoyance from Zarbon. Navac was panting, entire body trembling with rage. He snarled something, crooking a finger tauntingly, chuckling at Oroitz when he lurched forward in response.

There was a moment's paused, a war raging on Oroitz's face. He stayed in the air, only a few feet away from Navac and even from that distance, Dodoria could tell that every muscle in Oroitz's body was twitching with fury. The sight of rage in Oroitz's eyes was unsettling, enough so that Dodoria unconsciously tensed against it, instinct telling him to run. He was trembling.

No…he wasn't trembling. The floor…it was shaking! The view screen's image interrupted every few seconds by static. "Is it an earthquake?" Dodoria shouted over the rumble, fighting to balance himself amidst the trembling metal walls.

"No!" Shouted Captain Ginyu, pointing at the screen, "Look!"

Oroitz's power level was rising so quickly the view screen's built-in-scouter couldn't keep up. Frieza stared intently, his eyes wide and black mouth a round 'o' of surprise. Even Cooler leaned forward, a change from his usual rigid posture, his interest peaked. This was definitely not on anyone's list of expectations.

"What's happening?" Dodoria asked, seeing it but unable to believe it. The entire arena was shaking; Oroitz's howls of rage echoing so loudly even the audience's screams of panic were drowned out. What the hell was Oroitz _doing? How?_

50,000….60,000... "I can't believe this!" Ginyu ran forward, pressing his hands against the glass. "This is amazing! It's still rising!"

There was a flash of light and Navac plummeted through the metal arena like it was tinfoil, launching debris and metal all over the place. Some even pierced some of the spectators and Dodoria was amused by the sight even as he struggled to maintain balance. They _had_ wanted blood. There was a threatening rumble and metal creaked around them with all the dissonance of a thousand different screams. Dodoria seriously began to fear for the castle even before he truly understood what was happening.

"Quick!" Frieza cried out, breaking from his stupor to snap at them, "Stop gawking like imbeciles and subdue him before he wrecks the entire place!" There was that twitch in his eye but there was a glimmer of surprise in Frieza's tone, maybe a little excitement as well.

Ginyu was the first to react, punching a hole through the viewscreen and sending shards of glass flying outwards. The redhead teammate of his was the second to go, following his Captain's lead and diving in without a second thought.

Dodoria waited a moment longer to balance himself, alert to any orders Frieza might issue over the fray. Cooler had already ordered his armored squadron to evacuate any high profile guests in the other lounges while King Kold had disappeared almost imperceptibly, ushering Kuriza with away with him.

"My lord!" Zarbon gasped, avoiding pieces of glass with as much dainty grace as he could, one eye focused on the riot happening below. "We should get out-"

"_I_ will decide what we will do," Frieza hissed, eyes pinpoints of red rage on his face, enough to shut Zarbon up. He stalked forward, seemingly unfazed by the shaking (like Cooler) and peered down. The sounds of fighting were dim in comparison to the groaning metal but Frieza must have seen or heard something because he frowned and his tail twitched irritably. He promptly turned and stalked out into the hallway, Dodoria and Zarbon stumbling behind him.

There was an absence of guards, probably sent to help the spectators by orders of King Kold. Even in the safety of several feet of titanium metal, Dodoria could feel the small vibrations coming from the arena. The…the same direction they were heading in. Had his lord gone insane? Zarbon seemed to have noticed the same thing and he was sending a wide-eyed look to Dodoria, wisely opting to keep his mouth shut in favor of doing their customary eye-speak.

Before they managed to get some sort of decent conversation going, they arrived at the doors to the lower area of the arena, right in the middle of the entire thing. Frieza barged in without taking in anyone around him, ignoring the gasps of surprise and how the staff scrambled to somehow bow when everything was crumbling around their ears. Blowing the doors away, Frieza opted to fly over the remains of the arena, deftly dodging rocks and other pieces of metal that were flung his way.

He and Zarbon didn't fare as well, sustaining several cuts and a broken scouter were the least of Dodoria's annoyances. They neared the action and the rumbling became a constant thing when they descended into the giant crater Oroitz had created, falling several floors below into the lower ante-chambers of the castle.

Suddenly, Dodoria saw him and was unimaginably terrified.

Blood everywhere, rage flaming so brightly that Dodoria felt crackles of electricity on his skin. Captain Ginyu and his redhead lay to the sides, the former embedded in the wall and bleeding from his mouth in copious spurts, the latter on the floor, arm bent at an awkward angle but still breathing.

Oroitz stood there, one foot on Navac's back, armor broken and in pieces around him. The poor bastard was barely managing to huff out ragged breaths, wheezing on every other. He opened and closed his mouth, eyes wide with fear and trying to somehow reason with the monster atop him. Oroitz's only response to these pleas was to press harder with his foot, roar louder. He had rivulets of blood running down his forehead and onto his bare arms, fists clenched hard and muscles tense, ready to kill in an instant. The air around him flickered, white to gold and played tricks on Dodoria's eyes, making it look like Oroitz's hair was constantly changing color. Even his eyes seemed greener.

Dodoria had never _seen_ such a Saiyan before. He'd met hundreds, downed them in less than a second, laughed in their faces when their planet exploded. It was the Inside Joker of the Century, to chuckle at Vegeta and his band whenever they were on ship. Now, he was so afraid he could barely move. Even the fear he had felt when facing Frieza seemed like an old memory in the wake of this new terror. Is this what Saiyan's were? This pure rage and anger?

Now Dodoria knew; Lord Frieza was right to fear them, to fear their potential.

His Lord interrupted them, his voice a dark noise over the shaking walls, "Stand down, Oroitz." One warning, courtesy of their Lord only because he had come to favor.

"He wanted someone stronger," Oroitz snarled, staring Frieza straight in the eye, not a note of terror in his voice or a twitch of submission in his muscles. "Are you satisfied?" He pressed harder and Navac responded by spewing blood and vomit onto the floor. "Say it again," Oroitz continued, suicidally oblivious to Frieza's presence. "Tell me what you're going to do to her when you win, you said you'd only tell someone stronger. Am I strong enough now?"

What? What was he talking about? Dodoria looked at Zarbon for some sort of answer but only met an equally blank stare. The rest would remain a mystery as Lord Frieza raised a single hand, calmly regarding Oroitz like an animal that needed to be put down. He pointed a finger straight between Oroitz's eyes and Dodoria knew what was coming even though he couldn't see it happen.

There was a sound and Dodoria knew somewhere deep down that Lord Frieza had fired, his own senses too weak to even see such a blast. He didn't even manage to bid goodbye to the stupid Saiyan bastard.

Then a wall on the other side of the room exploded, crumbling to bits. Oroitz had a hand raised and Dodoria would remember the next moment for the rest of his entire life.

Frieza gasped.


	28. Life Moves On-And That's A Saving Grace

Hello everyone! It has been a long, _long _time! But finally, I'm back and hopefully will be updating at regular intervals again! Anyways, without further ado;

Onto Chapter 28 of: Dream of Yesterday!

* * *

><p>The Isolated chamber was bare save for a small bench and a windowless door. It was reinforced with steel and titanium, nearly welded against the frame. The walls a dull sheen of silver, kept meticulously clean by staff but had gone obvious years of disuse. The smell of rust itched in his throat, sitting just underneath the surface of the interlocked panels. There were Ki-Dampeners at each corner of the room, flickering on and off, crackling with static.<p>

His hands and feet were bound in shackles, huge metallic beasts that covered nearly the whole of his hands and legs, wrapping around them and restricting movement to only the barest flicks of his fingers. Inside, there were pinpricks of electricity against his skin, trying to stifle the enormous amount of Ki that ran through him. It wasn't enough, if he wanted, Goku could break out in an instant. He'd been so out of control.

"_I'll go to her after I beat your stupid face in-"_

He tried to ignore it. In fact, he fought against the terrifying urge to kill with every fiber of his being.

"_I bet her pussy will be so fuckin' __**tight **__now."_

Rage swelled inside him again and the cuffs crackled. Goku barely recognized the angry hiss that came out of his own mouth even as he relived the memories.

_Boot against Navac's back, blood everywhere, pain and fear burning bright at the back of his mind; the smell of terror and hopelessness spurring the rage inside. The words Navac said to him flashing dangerous through his mind. _

Ignored the Ginyu force rushing to him, broken an arm and slammed the other into the wall behind him. Nothing could stand in the face of his rage as he stared down at his foe, gurgling blood, choking back vomit and begging for mercy. Goku had pressed down harder, a part of him relishing the suffering he was inflicting-

_Remembered Ula's face, broken and terrified, her uniform torn and bruises appearing on her fragile, scaled skin._ _He snarled something at Navac, though now he couldn't even remember it._

He looked down at the bottom of his previously white boots, now scuffed with dried blood and felt disgusted at everyone, everything.

"_Stand down, Oroitz."_

Ignored that warning, brushed off Frieza's attack and forgot about it a moment later. He pressed his boot down harder, thrilled at the way armor gave and bones creaked; the memory of Ula's face and bruised body at the forefront of his mind. He couldn't even see what a _monster_ he'd been at that moment. He'd turned into everything he'd ever feared.

It took Zarbon's face, frozen with shock and eyes pale with terror that he'd remembered himself and where he was. A second later another blast came his way, hit him square in the chest, nowhere near enough to wound him but enough to knock Goku down.

Frieza's delicate face was furious; mouth a thin, imperceptible line of rage, _trembling_. It was then he'd seen the destruction he'd caused and the bodies of Captain Ginyu and his friend, barely alive. His senses calmed and he felt the fear of the audience in the air, the ash of fire settling on his shoulders.. The putrid, metallic smell of molten steel had invaded his nose and then didn't remember anything after that, could only recall being led down here by a group of Icejin guards that tiptoed around him like he were some savage animal.

What hurt the most was that it was true.

He stared at his boots and grimaced at the sight of dried blood on them. Briefly he wondered whether he should break out or not. It would be an easy feat to just power up and destroy the shackles, rushing away faster than any of Frieza's family or forces could catch up -but his heart ached when he remember Kuriza. Even so, should he decide to run, where would he go? Goku couldn't sense Earth or Namek, not even the sacred planet of the Kai's as a method of centering himself in the chaos that was the Galaxy. His communication device was useless and the only time machine he'd had access to was destroyed along with Planet Vegeta.

And Frieza would certainly come after him for sure, and Goku knew he would kill anything or anyone that got in his way to avenge his ego. If he ran away, he'd effectively be killing hundreds.

No, ironic as it were, his bests prospects were on this ship and deep down inside that thought made something crumble inside of him.

* * *

><p>Oroitz's destructive power had spread to most of the castle and staff scuttled about all day trying to make sense of the mess. Even the conference hall where Frieza and his family convened felt Oroitz's presence in the cracked walls and broken windows.<p>

That his home would be defiled infuriated Frieza, but he kept it under wraps. There were too many things going wrong to risk tipping anyone off. A cool façade would maintain his family's –and by extension, _his-_ pride and status.

His scouter beeped and Zarbon's tired voice filtered through, "Lord Frieza, Oroitz is firmly bound in the lower chambers."

Frieza frowned, though he was content at the fact. "Good. See to it that he remains obedient." He closed the line, staring grimly across the table, now covered in bits and pieces of debris and dust. The stones were cracked and the meticulous carvings desecrated. The remains of the wine he had been drinking had been spilt over the floor, only the glass seemed to survive and Frieza flicked it with his tail in a rare moment of visible fury, slamming it against the already fractured floor, further ruining it.

His father had his arms folded over his chest, staring grimly at the table and completely ignoring his youngest child's burst of temper save for a single sentence; "There is no use in taking your frustrations out on the furniture, Frieza."

When Frieza relented, Kold continued; "And the dampeners?" His father questioned, leaning forward on two muscular arms. There was the almost imperceptible tone of worry in his voice.

Cooler's eyes flicked to Frieza and the Icejin was sure that his brother was going to say something but thought better of it. That was good because Frieza was not in a mood to tolerate Cooler's ridiculous games. The ire of the last hour had not faded; in fact, it seemed to be getting worse every time he replayed what happened. Even his father's words held a grain of truth to them.

"They will work," Frieza assured him, though he had a hard time believing it himself. That Oroitz had _disobeyed_ his direct orders was clear. That Oroitz had easily brushed off his blast had been clear. It was _not_ entirely clear as to how powerful or effective the energy dampeners were on a man of his strength. The knowledge that his Ginyu Force lay in the medical bay's tanks made Frieza want to wrangle Oroitz. The utter _humiliation_ of his elite team being beaten by a man who supposedly only had a 15,000-power level!

Kold sighed, breathing into his palms, "Arracacha informed me that the majority of the guests are safe or being tended to by our best doctors. It would be in our best interest to reign in the chaos as soon as possible." He looked disconsolate for a moment, "Still, that says little about the future of the Gala."

Cooler chose that moment to speak with conviction, "They will return again. What they wanted most was blood sport and besides, none of the ambassadors or officials were injured." He stood near the end of the table, arms crossed and stiff as ever. "Our future prospects look promising."

For once, Frieza agreed with his elder sibling and the feeling was as disturbing as it was unfamiliar. "At the very least it will keep our Family Name on their tongues for years."

"All that remains is to clean up this mess." Kold said his upper lip curling in distaste at the sight of the rubble strewn about the room. "Finding someone to rebuild this will be a nightmare on its own as I do believe we _killed_ the last mason who did the impeccable stonework on the walls."

"We have bigger things to worry about, I'm afraid." Frieza loathed to bring it up amidst the destruction and catastrophe of the Gala but the matter was pressing and truth be told, there was no better time to discuss. "Earlier today, I received report from Dodoria that several of our satellite and equipment have gone missing, along with a number of scout ships. Contact is apparently not an option."

Kold sighed wearily, "What wonderful news."

"Indeed," Cooler commented, "Are you sure your sources are reliable?" There was a hidden taunt there, but Frieza was ready.

"My, Cooler, are you telling me that your underlings didn't relay such an important find? Oh dear, that's rather discomforting isn't it?" Cooler's visible twitch was more than a victory in Frieza's book.

Their father had apparently had enough, standing to tower over both his sons and pinned them with a look that would destroy planets. "Leave your squabbles for another time. Tell me what else you know."

Frieza was annoyed that the game had been cut off so abruptly, especially when the cards were so in his favor. However, his father _was_ right. Baiting his brother would have to be left for another time. "Only Arracacha and Salza know of this and I instructed Dodoria to keep the information under wraps until the Gala was over."

"A wise move," Kold agreed, "Public knowledge of such…issue would have severely damaged our reputation-far more than this debacle. " He pressed a finger to his scouter, "Arracacha, please collect Dodoria and Salza and report to the conference room in fifteen minutes." There was a sound of confirmation and then the line cut off. Then, Kold continued, staring gravely at the cracked table in front of them, "In any case, we must discuss what to do with our prisoner."

* * *

><p>Goku heard the unmistakable -familiar- sound of footsteps approaching his chamber. He barely realized how starved for company he'd been until this moment. Chained and feigning immobilization left him time to think. He couldn't even train, or keep himself busy. The Ki dampeners made his skin tingle as well and Goku felt dizzy – like he was constantly being shocked after running on a carpet for too long.<p>

The door opened and Zarmine's face appeared, alone. She took a look at the room, disinterest painted all over the face. "I see you've made yourself at home." She commented wryly, cracking a small grin at his huddled form.

Even he could manage a smile at her dryness, "Hey Zarmine. What are you doing here?"

"I've come to collect you. It seems you have an audience with the Kold Family." Zarmine narrowed her orange eyes, "That was quite a show you put on there."

"Is-?"

"They're fine, from what I hear. Ginyu and Recoome are already on their feet. Navac however, he'll have to take a bit longer. You certainly did quite a number on him." She walked over, "I can imagine that you didn't suddenly lose your temper."

Goku shook his head. "He said things."

"Things." Zarmine repeated, unimpressed.

He tried to elaborate; "I have a friend, back on the ship. She works in the Medical Bay."

"The healer? Ula?" She asked.

"Yeah. I walked in on him trying to…to…" Goku couldn't continue -it made his stomach roll. The depth of a violation like that he couldn't even imagine, let alone try to describe. He didn't even notice how easily she used Ula's name.

"He was trying to rape her." Goku winced when Zarmine continued unapologetically. "Are you surprised?" She sounded even the slightest bit confused, as if she couldn't comprehend his rage. Was decency something so foreign that it was lost on the soldiers here?!

"Why wouldn't I be?" There was anger creeping up his chest and the electric shocks running down his arms and legs increased, trying to keep the energy at bay.

Zarmine just continued to look down without the slightest hint of remorse. "What did you expect, bringing a female here?" Her upper lip curled in distaste and she folded her muscular arms over her chest. "She is attractive and weak. That's a combination almost irresistible to men who haven't had sexual release in decades –Men whose jobs are to exploit those exact weaknesses on missions."

"What about you? You're a girl and no one does those kinds of things to you." Goku continued indignantly, unsure of how to get his point across but unwilling to concede to her viewpoint, so obviously wrong that it boggled his mind.

Zarmine narrowed her eyes, silent for a few long moments.

It was enough to make Goku regret asking her.

"Not anymore," She finally answered with a soft exhale and Goku winced.

"I'm sorry." He shouldn't have asked. He should have thought ahead. His anger deflated in seconds and instead, he felt ashamed. Dredging up her past had not been his intentions.

Zarmine didn't seem fazed or mollified by his apology. "Don't be," She said, "I never blamed them. I was angry and hurt but I never blamed them."

"What happened?" Goku didn't want to ask but he had to. There was this weird, screwed up sense of morbid curiosity and need to understand. Maybe he could help Ula after this. Maybe Zarmine could make him see things that he couldn't see before. It was so wrong on so many levels.

The Captain was staring down at him, orange eyes cold and unfeeling. "You have an audience. Get up."

Confused from suddenly being closed off, Goku let Zarmine's hand wrap around the chain that held his cuffs together and pull him upwards with no resistance. Following her to the door, Goku obediently let her push him –softly- in front of her. They walked down the hallway in relative silence.

"I didn't mean to make you angry." Goku said, his fingers clenching in the cuffs.

There was a hesitant sound behind him but Zarmine's footsteps remained steady. "I know. I'm not angry."

He whispered an apology anyway.

* * *

><p>Frieza was sure that if his rage could be made tangible, the galaxy would probably be reduced to ash. He had to settle for letting the air around him crackle dangerously. "I hope I did not hear you properly."<p>

"You heard correctly, brother." Cooler regarded him with no more animosity than usual, not even deigning to uncross his arms in the face of Frieza's powerful wrath. "Execution is unnecessary."

Kold growled from the corner, "Frieza, I believe the castle is in a fine state of disrepair without you adding to the damage! Calm yourself."

Ignoring his father, Frieza focused on Cooler. "He made a mockery of the Gala, of the Kold family, Cooler. Does our family's pride mean nothing to you?!" The thrum of his heart was loud and he did not mention the way Oroitz had casually brushed aside one attack and withstood the other.

Cooler gave him a smug smirk; "I sense that there is more to this than the slighting of our family's reputation. Is there something we don't know?" He relaxed, letting his arms drop limply to his sides but Frieza had trained with Cooler for many years before leaving him in the dust and he knew his brother's ready position like the back of his kingdom.

"Enough!" Kold slammed his hands on the table hard enough to shake it right down to its foundation. Nevertheless, it did the trick.

Frieza calmed down, allowing his energy to drop and swiped his tail to fend off the falling debris. Even so, he was far from mollified. Turning to his father, Frieza gestured to his brother; "You cannot seriously consider Cooler's outlandish request."

Kold was quiet for a few moments, hiding his face behind interlocked fingers while he pondered Cooler for what Frieza considered far too long a time. "It seems a decent idea…"

"Absolutely not!" The angry tyrant interjected. "We have enough to worry about as it is!"

Kold interrupted before Frieza could continue his tirade, "Worry? What does it matter to you, my son? His power level is only what, 50, maybe 60,000? Our own powers far outrank his-"

Frieza scoffed, "You must remember that he put both Ginyu and Recoome-"

"Your supposedly 'Elite' fighting force." Cooler interjected.

He was ignored.

"-Into the rejuvenation tanks. It will still take a couple of hours for them to completely heal. That leads me to believe that his power might be considerably greater than we believed."

He was met with a curious glance from his father and Frieza realized he might have let a little too much slip. Instantly he schooled his expression but not before Cooler's face broke into a rare smirk. Frieza desperately quashed the need to pummel his brother into a pulp. It would raise too many suspicions. Damn it.

His hand had been forced, now he needed to acquiesce to Cooler's suggestion lest he raise any further alarms. With great reluctance and highly aware of the smug glimmer in his brother's eye, Frieza agreed.

There was a knock on the door –or what was left of it- and the unmistakable boom of Arracacha's voice filtered through. "Reporting, King Kold."

"Enter."

Arracacha's huge form came in, only a few heads shorter than King Kold. Salza and Dodoria followed him, each looking uncomfortable and covered head to toe in dust. In any other instance, Frieza would have severely punished them for appearing so haggard in his glorious presence but circumstances warranted an exception.

Bowing deeply, Arracacha addressed his lord; "King Kold, we were summoned?"

Kold nodded. "Frieza informs me that we are experiencing strange occurrences in our outer-lying sectors. Is this true?"

"Yes," the large Commander confirmed, white eyes narrowing. It took a few moments to explain and Dodoria nodded alongside him, Salza in quiet –rare- agreement with the pink alien.

There was a moment of silence as Kold contemplated what had just been relayed. "And you're sure you cannot contact the ships?"

"Not even the scouters, my lord." Said Dodoria. "Sounds like sabotage. It's too specific to be anything else."

"What do you think?" Cooler asked Salza, having not said a word the entire time.

Salza shuffled, his accent thick but laden with respect and a tinge of fear. "It is on a wide enough scale to warrant such suspicions though I do not know who would be fool enough to do such a thing."

"Fools indeed," Frieza, added, considering the scale of such actions, it could even be a declaration of war. "Do we have no clue who is behind these acts?"

Arracacha shook his head, "Unfortunately not. The only things we know for sure are that all the outer-sectors of your kingdoms have cut contact and that we have not been able to reestablish a link in any way." Turning to their father, he lowered his head. "I request that we send a search party to each sector. The more delays there are in finding the culprits, the bigger the chances of being unable to mitigate the damage."

"Our forces might be a bit too thin right now," Dodoria interrupted. "Many of our higher ranking officers and soldiers won't be up to speed since our tanks and doctors are busy with the guests and ambassadors."

That was true, Frieza realized. With many of the soldiers competing in the tournament and Oroitz's untimely burst of power, they were effectively left with only a small portion of their fleet.

"And if the perpetrators are strong enough to simultaneously take out the scout ships as well as the satellites and radios towers-" Salza continued, as if reading Frieza's mind, "Then it is possible that they are of considerable strength and should be considered a threat."

"It is something our current forces cannot deal with." Cooler agreed, staring at his lieutenant. "The majority of our remaining forces are too low of power levels to risk sending out."

Frieza almost snorted, "And when have you been so considerate of their lives, Cooler?"

That earned him a glare and a distinct downward turn of Cooler's lips. "Brother," He drawled, "We are already short-handed as it is."

"You are right," Frieza said before he could continue. Inwardly, he was cursing at himself for not realizing the implication of Cooler's words early on. "If we do end up losing them, we will be even more at a disadvantage than we already are." It was petty but the realization coming from his mouth would ease the strain of his shortsightedness from the moment before. "What do you suggest, father?"

Kold was quiet for a long moment. Then he lifted his horned head, looking at them all. "I believe it would be best to deal with the matter at hand. That is to say, the disappearances." With a broad gesture, he stood. "This information has been leaked to no one, yes?"

The Lieutenants nodded in unison.

"Good-" Kold continued, approval in his voice. "Then I suggest we take the opportunity to -as Arracacha advised- to make sure whatever is happening in the outer sectors does not move into the core while we are still at a disadvantage in terms of strength." He paused for a moment, looking for disagreement in the audience. "Though we do not currently have the numbers, we do have the element of surprise. It would be most unprofitable if word were to get out about such occurrences. In effect, we'd end up fighting two battles at once; one physical and one financial if our buyers decide to pull out in light of the information."

"Father is right," Cooler agreed.

_Sycophant. _Frieza thought.

"We should strike while the guests know nothing. " His elder brother continued, unaware of the cogs in Frieza's head turning like a well-oiled machine. "Hopefully, we will be able to contain and deal with the threat before any information leaks begin to occur. However, now it is a matter of whom we send."

And here was the golden opportunity Frieza had been waiting for. The glee was almost physical. "Why Cooler, I believe you're right." He started, keenly aware of the alarm forming in his brother's eyes. It was a rare, welcome sight. "While Father's presence will be needed, I, _as next in line_, will also be required to stay."

_You're just extra family. Not essential._

The three lieutenants heartbeats were almost audible.

Frieza continued, desperately trying to stifle the smile that was threatening to break out. "It would be too suspicious to send forces from all the ships at once and since as you said, we are short-handed, it would be best to send out only one of our ships." Everyone knew the only ships that were currently available were the flagships and since He and his father were needed, that left only Cooler for the _heroic_ voyage.

And a trip to the outer sector would take _several months._

Cooler's mouth had all but disappeared into a thin line and Frieza barely stopped himself from cackling when it was apparent that his dear brother had only _just _realized what a trap he walked into.

It was sealed even further when Kold gave a nod of agreement, voicing his approval. "Of course, you are correct Frieza, my son." Turning to Cooler, he seemed utterly unaware of his elder son's palpable rage. "You will set out tomorrow. The dust will have settled a bit by then. Frieza and I will do our best to keep the information under wraps, so as to secure the discreetness of your venture."

Throwing a look to their lieutenants, Kold ordered- "Go to the ships and make sure that there is a link between the GIA of all three ships. It is to be on a separate grid and the information is to sync constantly every several planetary cycles for this world. Make sure that the connection cannot be tampered with by an external force or sensor. We do not want our aggressors to be able to sever or manipulate the information."

Arracacha, Dodoria and Salza nodded, bowing and leaving the room with such haste that even Frieza was impressed.

Looking at Cooler, he allowed a small smile to grace his face and was infinitely pleased to see his brother practically dig trenches into his palms with his nails. Serves the bastard right for his earlier request.

_An eye for an eye,_ Frieza thought and pinged Zarbon for wine.

* * *

><p>Goku let Zarmine lead him through the castle, glad that he didn't have to wonder where he was going. "Do you know what they're going to do?" He ventured asking, though he doubted Zarmine would tell him if she knew.<p>

To his surprise, she answered; "I honestly don't know." Turning, she pinned him with an orange eye. "You should prepare to die."

That was drastic, Goku thought, furrowing his brows. "Kill me?"

When Zarmine raised a gold brow, Goku shrugged. Well, she _did_ have a point. He had caused massive damage and Frieza's pride was as fragile as most the civilizations he crushed. It took only the merest of wayward glances to throw the tyrant into an unquenchable rage. Still, he hoped to avoid another confrontation.

"Either that," Zarmine said, "Or they'll reward you." She grabbed his chains and pulled him forward. "After all, the prize was entrance to the Ginyu force- you should feel honored." She said, but her voice said that it was nothing to be proud of. "Then again," The Captain said with a grin, "You did land them in the tanks."

Goku winced, but followed anyways and tried to formulate a plan in his head. If it was true and they planned to execute him, there would be no other alternative than to run. Or…to kill. Shaking his head and resolutely counting his footsteps, he hadn't realized his surroundings, only now taking in the cracked stonework and the broken floor.

"Your handiwork." Zarmine said before he'd asked, stopping in front of something that used to be a door. Knocking twice, she asked to be let in.

"You may enter," a voice sounded, cool and collected.

Goku bristled. It wasn't Frieza. However, he knew that voice. He knew that energy. When they entered his suspicions were instantly confirmed.

_Cooler._

It had been many years since he'd seen the elder brother of Frieza, Goku's mind instantly rushing back to Earth and then to Namek. He was immediately glad that the Cooler of the present –er…past- was flesh and blood. There was no desire to engage another Meta-Cooler.

The Elder Tyrant locked eyes with Zarmine and the captain bowed deeply. "Lord Cooler."

He acknowledged her, "Captain Zarmine. I admit; I did not expect you." The admission was strange to Goku's ears, not having expected such sincere civility from any Icejin other than Kuriza. Then his cold red eyes flickered to Goku and stayed there for a few moments, chilling the Saiyan to the bone. Somehow, Cooler was just as terrifying as Frieza.

Goku was suddenly infinitely glad that he had been facing Frieza on Namek and not his elder brother. "Lord Cooler." He repeated after a moment, bowing as much as he could with his shackles.

There was a scoff and a flash of Cooler's tail, the cuffs falling to the floor with an audible 'thunk.' Dazed, Goku rubbed his wrists and stayed silent, unsure of what to do. Frieza, he could deal with but his brother was a different matter. Zarmine's presence was like ice water on his senses and Goku wanted to be sure that she would not be put in harm's way should he say or do anything.

"Raise yourselves." Cooler commanded and Goku obeyed, looking around the room for the first time. It was then he realized that Frieza was conspicuously absent.

Zarmine had noticed as well but she had also chosen to remain wisely silent as Cooler took them in. "You called for us, My Lord?" She said, gesturing to Goku.

"Yes," He answered, holding Goku fast with his glimmering red eyes. Goku knew that Cooler did not maintain a form similar to Frieza or the other Icejin and wondered why. He didn't think that it was a matter of superiority for the elder Icejin. "You are no doubt aware of your effect on our home," Cooler said, gesturing to the walls around them.

Goku visibly winced. "I'm sorry."

Cooler remained unimpressed with his apology, bringing a hand up to his scouter, he pressed the button. "A reading of 10,000. That is an interesting ability you have." He was commenting of course on Goku's skill on hiding his power level. "I am most impressed that you had managed to keep it hidden for so long. Tell me, Oroitz, does rage make you stronger?"

Goku shook his head, "I don't know. Sometimes it's training and sometimes when I feel intense emotions, it…happens." It was not a lie, exactly.

"So you have no control?" Cooler questioned, staring him up and down.

Goku shook his head, grasping onto the lie that Cooler had inadvertently supplied him with. "A little but not like before." There was a chance he could get away without have to tell Cooler anything. Of course, he knew that during the battle with Navac he had almost nearly transformed into a Super Saiyan.

Cooler's hand dropped and he stepped forward, sweeping aside the cuffs with a wide swing of his powerful tail. "Let me ask you a question, Oroitz." The use of Goku's name made the Saiyan wary, unsure of what the tyrant wanted.

It was certainly unusual to be spoken to so informally by any of the Icejin, not even the guards. It was enough to set Goku on guard.

"Why is it that my brother is so set on terminating you?" Cooler suddenly asked, making Goku startle. The grimace did not go unnoticed and Goku couldn't school his face into indifference fast enough. "Ah," the elder said with amusement evident in his voice, "So there _is_ something. You may speak freely as I will not harm you."

Goku threw a glance to Zarmine.

She remained stoically silent but there was a slight nod to her head.

"I-" He started, aware of how close Cooler was standing. "I placed his elite force in the tanks…"

Cooler smirked, "I am aware of that yes. But something tells me that there is more to this story. My little brother was suspiciously adamant in killing you."

Gritting his teeth, Goku hung his head. "I blocked his attack…and stood up against the second."

The silence was so thick that he could cut through it. Cooler's eyes had widened and he could see Zarmine struggle to keep her countenance intact.

"Yes. I had suspected that you had…wronged Frieza somehow, but I had not been expecting _that_." Glancing at Zarmine, he asked, "Does anyone else know of this?"

"I think Zarbon knows." Goku said, "And Dodoria too…um…Zarmine too."

Another glimmer of amusement flickered through Cooler's energy. "That is rather interesting," Turning around he stalked back to the broken table and placed his palms atop the surface. "Your news pleases me, Oroitz. I rather like the knowledge that Frieza's two closest lieutenants witnessed such an act." It was Zarmine's turn to be inspected by the Icejin, "And I suspect you are new to this information?"

She nodded, still trying not to stare at Goku in shock. There was a momentary delay before she answered, "Yes, Lord."

Suddenly, the elder Kold chuckled.

Then it turned to a laugh as he threw his armored head back with mirth. "I see, I see." He said, the corner of his dark lips tugging upwards. The reds of eyes darkened as Cooler contemplated something before locking onto to Goku again. A wide smirk graced his features, more rugged than Frieza's delicate ones. "In light of this information-"

Goku stiffened, muscles bunching up and ready for action. However, he had not been ready for Cooler's next words; "I do believe I'll keep you."

"Keep me?" Goku blurted out before he could stop himself, swiftly regretting the action.

However, Cooler seemed to be in an amiable mood following the news and regarded them calmly. "Yes. It would be a waste for such a powerful warrior to be disposed of simply because my little brother's ego was wounded." His features suddenly turned grave and the mirth disappeared from his eyes. " You will report to my ship." That gaze slipped down to the Captain, "Zarmine,"

The Captain snapped to attention.

"You will report to me as well."

Zarmine was shocked, "Excuse me, my lord?"

Cooler frowned, "This is information that you are now privy to and you are to tell no one."

"Of course," Zarmine said, "but-"

Cooler stopped her with a raised hand, "That is a direct order, Captain. Both of you will head back to my ship and we will set out tomorrow to investigate a possible subversion against my family." He turned back to Goku, "As your actions have delayed our more powerful soldiers from using the tanks, it would be unwise to waste such potential." The gaze suddenly turned into a subtle glare, "I am not my brother, foolishly killing left and right. You are still of use."

"Yes, my lord." Zarmine answered, stepping back. "Is there anything else you need?"

"You are dismissed, Zarmine. Wait outside. I will speak to Oroitz alone." With one last glance at Zarmine, he finished, "Salza will be pleased to see you."

She nodded and instantly walked away, leaving Goku alone with the elder tyrant. Suddenly, without her presence Goku was far more wary. At least when Zarmine had been there, he could look at her for cues but without her guidance he was lost in how to deal with Cooler. Settling for guarded but still subservient, he met Cooler's gaze with no defiance.

Cooler regarded him for a few seconds before speaking, "I hear that you have _another_ more interesting ability."

What?

"Instant Transmission," Cooler clarified, "Or so Zarbon reports. It is the ability to teleport and you have used it several times in battle."

Goku nodded, "I pinpoint an energy and lock onto it."

"Most interesting," The Kold commented, turning his back to Goku, unaware that the Saiyan could kill him in seconds. Angling his head, Cooler continued, "That implies that you do not need a scouter to locate people. Foolish of my brother to waste such a talent. Tell me, can you sense me?"

Goku nodded.

It was strange to see a shimmer of interest pass through Cooler's red eyes as he pondered over what Goku had said. There was a long moment of silence and Goku shuffled awkwardly, unsure of what to do. He didn't have to think for long, as Cooler suddenly asked again,

"Who can you sense outside this room?"

Focusing his mind, Goku let his ki relax. "I sense Zarmine right outside. I can sense four guards standing at the door to this room. One is weaker than the others, another is injured."

Turning quickly, Cooler walked to him, barely a foot of space between their faces as the Icejin bowed to look him dead in the eye. "You can sense how they feel? Their emotions? How is it you know they are injured?"

Struggling to explain for a moment, Goku opened his mouth but Cooler stopped him, hand at his scouter and a heavily accented voice could be heard from the other side. "I see," Cooler responded after the man was done, turning his attention back to Goku. "I will speak of this later. Report to my ship Oroitz. Dismissed."

Goku barely remembered to bow on the way out.

* * *

><p>Frieza stared out the crystalline windows of his chambers. Dodoria and Zarbon stood behind him and he could see their frozen expressions in the reflection of the glass, cracked though it may have been. "I have called you here for a reason," He began smoothly, tapping his tail against the floor amicably, creating a beat to his words. " And I suspect you both know why that is."<p>

Zarbon gulped audibly, a whispered 'yes sir' accompanying his nervous shiver. Dodoria didn't answer but his wide-eyed stare gave him away nonetheless.

Taking off his scouter, Frieza placed it gently on a nearby table and tapped on the keyboard beside it. The Windows of his room flickered, effectively becoming screens where numbers and video feeds as well as all the information in the archives could flow to his fingertips. A few deft flicks of his fingers yielded the results he was hoping. He had gone through the archives

There was a picture of a humanoid, a mammalian male with pleasing enough features and a horrendous haircut pulled into an ever worse ponytail.

_Oroitz._

"It says here," Frieza said, his voice still light and airy, "That his power level should only be 15,000." Turning to Zarbon, he smiled widely. "Obviously there's been an error. _Explain this to me." _The last words were a hiss, barely rising above a whisper but his lieutenants knew him well enough to fear for their lives.

Silence.

"Well?" Frieza asked, tilting his horned head in a mockery of patience.

It was Dodoria who spoke first, "Really, Lord Frieza, neither of us knew he could hide his power." He stepped forward, one foot at a time, and both hands out wide in a defensive gesture. "We've never even really had a reason to suspect him until now."

"Yes," Zarbon continued, latching onto Dodoria's words, "It might have even been a fluke; after all, it's unthinkable for a Saiyan to-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as he was bodily slammed into the metal wall, Frieza's delicate hand gripping his throat with crushing force.

"What. Did. You. Say?" The words were laced with rage, aura crackling wildly around them.

Zarbon choked, beautifully manicured hands coming to grip Frieza's forearm with as much force as he could muster but the tyrant paid no heed, pressing all the harder. "Repeat that for me, Zarbon," Frieza could barely force the words out of his mouth, "I didn't hear you correctly." When Zarbon couldn't respond, Frieza took delight in how quickly the life seemed to fade from his eyes before letting his grip loosen just the slightest.

No, Zarbon would not die so quickly. Frieza would make him beg for death before this was over. He brought his tail over his shoulder, the tip gleaming in the artificial light of his chambers, the glow of Oroitz's picture casting an eerie atmosphere over it all. Frieza was aware of how Dodoria stood shocked and he could smell the fear permeating off them both. Turning his attention back to Zarbon, he let the rage subside enough to smile thinly and dangerously, glee distorting his features when Zarbon's face twisted in abject terror.

"P-please my-" He coughed pitifully, tears streaming down his handsome face as he begged, "Lord Fuh-Frieza." Scrabbling at his arm, Zarbon tried his hardest, nails scratching in a futile attempt to free himself. He kicked weakly, but the lack of air was starting wear on his body and he was quickly losing strength.

There was a sound of fear and distress from Dodoria behind him and the acrid smell of sweat and blood invaded Frieza's nostrils.

There was a moment of stillness and Frieza's tail moved forward at lightning speed, the final desperation and hope in Zarbon's eyes dying. However Frieza's tail stopped at the last moment, barely millimeters away from his lieutenant's face. Loosening his grip, Frieza stared at the wall. Though dented from Zarbon's body and his force it was still reflective; the blurry picture of Oroitz staring back at him.

Slowly realization dawned on him and he released Zarbon, letting his lizard drop to the floor with a pathetic whine. Ignoring the coughing and the sound of dry heaving, Frieza turned back to the screen and stalked to it. His hands started shaking.

"Lord…Frieza?" Dodoria ventured, stuck between hovering from his spot and staring desperately at his fallen comrade, unsure whether to help or to stay; fearing his lord's wrath and rightfully so.

However, Frieza didn't pay him the slightest attention, eyes transfixed on the image before him.

That one time. That single time where the entire sealed off observatory had been annihilated in the wake of some explosion.

_400,000,000_

The scouters had been destroyed, half of his ship melted down and only _Oroitz at the sight._ No. No that couldn't be. That was _impossible._ The dead Queen's Tongue worms and the way he'd deflected Frieza's blasts.

No. No.

Warnings flashed across his mind and a fear unlike any other Frieza had ever known gripped him so tightly he couldn't even breathe. They were just _legends._ Something like that couldn't _possibly exist._ But…but…

If it did then…

Frieza hissed, fists crashing down into the metallic surface of the computer, absolutely crushing it and sending the room into absolute darkness. The magnitude of what was happening was almost physical and Frieza barely remembered to breathe. Of course it was impossible, Super Saiyans were just that, _legends._ Quickly, he quashed that fear as soon as it came.

Frieza hissed again, slowly beginning to calm down as plans began to form in his mind. A few seconds passed and he turned, calmly and slowly to face his terrified lieutenants. "Zarbon," He ordered and his pale-faced peacock stood, legs trembling and hair askew. "How long have you know that Oroitz was a Saiyan?"

There was a cough, "Only recently my lord, I saw it as a glimpse when I registered him for the tournament."

Frieza mulled over the information. Oroitz didn't have the customary tail that the rest of the monkeys had. Neither had Vegeta adopted him into his group of barbaric simians. Perhaps this one was a cast out? Had Zarbon not slipped, Frieza would not have suspected Oroitz of even having Saiyan blood. After all, the man barely exhibited any of the traits that Vegeta and his Neanderthal group seemed to show. "Does anyone else know? Vegeta?"

Zarbon shook his head, "I don't think s-so." He gripped his neck where bruises were already forming. There would be no doubt that he would be needing medical attention as his consciousness was beginning to slip.

Good. It would not bode well to have Vegeta know that another Saiyan dwelled amongst them. And of course Oroitz could not be powerful enough to best Frieza as no Saiyan could back down from a challenge. In that sense, Oroitz was barely a blip on Frieza's radar, completely docile. The Saiyan had even…extricated Frieza's person from Cerise when it had been about to explode. Simply…simply being _present_ at an explosion that caused the computers to go haywire didn't mean he was a _Super Saiyan._

Frieza nearly chortled at his own misgivings. If what he were thinking was true, than Oroitz had true potential. Frieza could mold him, give him to Ginyu to train. A powerful, loyal, _utterly_ _obedient_ Saiyan would be of great use to him. However, Oroitz was now completely out of his grasp…and in the hands of-

_Cooler_.

Frieza scowled, realizing that he may have just _given_ away one of his best resources to his most probable enemy. Cooler had no idea what was in his hands. A Saiyan as strong as this one was unheard of and Frieza suddenly itched to have the idiot back. Pinning a cold glare on Zarbon, Frieza spoke, "Perhaps your dull-wittedness will do us some good after all, Zarbon." Yes, it was true. Had Zarbon told Frieza earlier on that Oroitz was a Saiyan, Frieza might have instantly killed him.

When Zarbon looked confused, barely able to stand on shaky knees, Frieza continued. "Saiyans are universally dense and Oroitz proves to be no different. Perhaps we can use his position in Cooler's employ to further my own ends." A dark smile graced his lips and he turned back to his window, broken to the last piece of glass and with a wave of his hand, dismissed them.

Watching Dodoria drag out a half-dead Zarbon, Frieza planned in the darkness.

* * *

><p>Goku shivered in alarm, barely sighing in relief when he felt Zarbon's energy stabilize. Frieza's rage had traveled across his spine like lightning and he was keenly aware of Zarbon's life slipping away like sand. He had been ready to move but thankfully, Frieza's rage subsided a few moments later.<p>

"What's wrong?" Zarmine asked him, pulling on the rest of her new armor, different in both color and form than Frieza's.

Goku followed suit and tugged on his gloves and boots, tapping the toes to get used to the feel of the new fit. "Nothing. Just…felt something." He looked at her quizzically, "How do you know Cooler? And who is Salza?"

Zarmine chuckled darkly, "You will meet him soon enough. As for Lord Cooler, I was originally stationed under his command in the Delta Quadrant. However, circumstances relegated me to Lord Frieza's army." She flicked her golden hair, much longer than when he met her the first time, over her ear. Catching his eye she smirked, "Though Kold owns me, there are still things that are my own."

Goku agreed wholeheartedly.

When they were done, Goku stared at himself in the mirror. It seemed the spandex suit was universal amongst the troops. However, unlike Frieza's, his new bodysuit ran all the way down his legs and arms. It was either that or some strange looking…bikini thing. The battle armor was, however, similar to the one he'd worn only minutes ago. The shoulders were thicker but it barely reached his hips, stopping just under his ribcage and prominently displaying Cooler's insignia; a circle with two downward lines.

Zarmine, he had to admit, looked better in Cooler's armor than she did in Frieza's. The short armor added curves to her hard body and though her bust was fairly small, the roundness of her shoulders were enhanced. The spandex she wore was the same as Goku's, black and covering the entirety of her arms and legs. "Come," She said, gesturing the path of Icejin guard that followed them. "They will lead us to Lord Cooler's ship and we will prepare to depart."

Nodding, Goku followed the guard, mulling over what had happened the last few hours of his life. As a general rule, he was glad to be alive. However, he would be leaving Ula and Kuriza alone with Frieza. That was not a hopeful thought. Putting a hand to his new scouter, he pressed a button and was instantly rewarded with Ula's voice.

"Ula?" He asked, eyes widening, ignoring the looks from both Zarmine and the guard.

"Oroitz!" She squealed, "How are you contacting me? I thought the scouters couldn't pick up signals from far away?" There was a gasp, "Are you coming back?"

Shaking his head even though she couldn't see, Goku answered softly, "Not yet Ula. I…I've been put under C…Lord Cooler's command."

There was silence on the other end, "I see…Why?"

Glancing around, Goku sighed. "I'll explain later. I just wanted to tell you to be safe." Instinctively, he knew she was nodding.

"I will, Oroitz. You be safe as well and contact me when you have a chance. Ula out." The line cut and Goku let his arm drop, exhaling sadly. He would miss her. She had been the only reason he ever found himself around the medical bay at all. Though he could still feel the sting of her slap when the sight of a needle had caused him to scream and climb atop the nearest cabinet.

"It's best you drop your attachments," Zarmine said once the guard stopped following them, escorting them only to the docking bay. She dodged several of the mechanics and watched the wounded and tired soldiers move into the ship. "The faster you get rid of such things, the less they hurt when they're gone."

"is that what you did?" Goku asked softly, staring at the line of haggard aliens, all bearing the wounds of the tournament. He winced when he saw several of them glaring at him, their skin covered in cuts and burns from flying shards or molten metal.

She shrugged, "I had to. I learned the hard way that is does not pay to have any lasting connections to anything."

"Then how do you live?" Goku asked, watching her shake her head.

Looking at him, her flame colored eyes softened. "I don't."

Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him through the entrance of Cooler's ship and they left the Gala behind.


End file.
